Losing Hope
by Shadlos
Summary: (Before reading, please see the Disclaimer/FAQ chapter post to see if this is right for you). Fate can be cruel & dark, especially when falls on the members of team RWBY. A hellish, dark, & long ride awaits as existence's darkest threat forces them through events beyond their wildest imaginations. A story of corruption, a story of a fleeting world...a story, of Loosing Hope
1. Prolog

Hopes and dreams...

your ambitions...

they're really worth holding onto, aren't they?...

everyone looks at you in awe.

You're the shining light they need, as evidenced by what they see.

The shining symbols on thrones, atop glorious pedestals.

You, as far as all are concerned, deserve to sit there.

To be worshiped.

To be praised.

To be loved.

You've prevented the fall.

You've withstood the beast's maw.

You've forgiven, you've overlooked.

You've vanquished the darkness.

But...

let me ask you...

how many times...

are you willing to say goodbye?...

to the things you love?...

to the innocence of youth?

Oh how the time indeed did fly...

from your carefree lives...

and the solitude and peace you always knew!

You love stories, don't you?

Red like roses fills your head with dreams...

but it's really the origin of nightmares!

It's the blood the innocent have been laying in...

because you failed to save them...

the blood you spilled!

Oh how their eyes are wide-eyed with rage!

There has never been any rest!

There has never been any love!

It's more than the weight of your world...

It's the weight of failure!

The weight of responsibility!

The weight of...

...truth.

The heroes never rose above in the end.

They never did.

They never will.

You've never seen it, have you?!

The hate growing?!

The shadows rising?!

All because you failed to save them.

Again...

And again.

And again!

You STILL fail to save them!

You're more then just the pawns you really are.

You're toys to be flaunted.

Chewed up, spit out, torn apart.

Then restored pristine and showcased for all to see.

How sick it is to be played...

and yet you still allow it.

Do you feel the rumble and roar?...

it's coming.

The end you've brought upon us.

Stop staring in the mirror to blind your pain.

Do you not know what they've wanted?

You never have

More than mirrors will shatter.

Your very perception of time...

Your very world shatters from what lies beyond.

There, in true darkness...

rising from the true darkness...

it's what you've brought upon us all

The true beasts with maws gaping.

Then you'll really burn.

War will be nothing to compare.

Then you'll know.

You yourself have left your children behind.

And it's all because you never took responsibility.

All because the End never got what it needed.

The terror you brought upon us...

Again...

and again...

and again...

You were selfish.

You've been selfish.

Your selfishness has brought death.

You brought our End.

You've brought misery and pain for all...

and victory for hate incarnate...

again...

and again...

and again!

You will be beaten until you crawl no more.

For once, you shall justly feel the pain and misery you've inflicted on the innocent.

That which you were supposed to protect them from.

And when it falls...

when you fall...

there will be misery and pain...

for you.

You will feel the pain you were supposed to protect them from.

And far worse.

You will be beaten by those you loved...

Assaulted by those you trusted...

Violated by your own selves...

bleed into the shared pool of blood.

From every orifice and tear of your body.

Finally shall you bear your scars and stripes.

As you thought you've done.

Yet here you are again.

Sitting atop pillars of glory.

Protected and oblivious...

of the pain and suffering below.

You've never looked down from your throne.

You've never bothered to truly care...

now they've started clawing.

They are clawing.

And now...

The thrones and pillars collapse.

You fall.

Then you lie dying in the pool of acidic blood.

Victim to the eternal sting.

Where you truly belong.

Fate upheld

Dreams fulfilled.

Vengeance enacted.

Wrath placated.

And you burn.

And you burn.

and you burn.

You die...

and you die...

and you die.

Rewind doesn't work forever.

Soon the disk breaks.

Soon you're no longer worth the game.

You're not fun anymore.

And then you're tossed to the dogs...

and never picked up again.

You...

it's time you've seen the truth.

The true meaning of "Bloody evolution"!

And with this sight, realize...

You can hold on no longer.

The time has come.

Fall, hope.

Fall, valor.

Fall, retribution.

Fall, strength.

Burn.

Die.

Fall.

 **Shadlos presents...**

with assistance from Jack Frost

Loosing Hope

The Death of Epsylan.


	2. 115

When were they first aware?...it's hard to tell...but their first encounter...should have been their last. Yet, that's not how existence works, is it? It's a bloody, broken record. Over and over again it was, over and over it is. What do I speak of?...allow me to show you.

-115-

"The Sky will Shatter"

It's over, finally. I sit on the edge of the cliff in front of beacon with the rest of my team. We're looking out over azure water to the city of Vale in the distance. We've done it. Torchwick and many others are now behind bars, and we've protected the people the best we can, and the breach has been sealed. There may still be vessels of war in the air, but...everybody's all right now, at the very least. Then there's the question: what do we do now? We could train for the Vytal festival, but...with the way everything's gone the way it has...we've kind of trained all we needed to. Then I suggest we go to bed, to which everybody hastily agrees. We slowly rise onto our feet and turn towards Beacon, but then there's what sounds like a massive explosion and the ground violently shakes. I struggle to keep my footing with the others. The earth shakes for about three seconds, then stops. We look at each other in shock before turning towards the city. Nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, there's another boom and the ground shakes for longer: a total of 5 seconds this time. Suddenly, one of the ships above Vale has a decent explosion on it's left side, facing us. It begins to plummet out of the sky, clipping the wings of another. People are screaming as the two ships drop from the sky and plummet into the city below, and there are two massive explosions. I put my hand on my mouth to hold a gasp as I watch this with the others. The explosions trigger some smaller ones, then followed by another loud boom, and the ground shakes again. We're all struggling to keep our footing, especially so close to the edge. Only five seconds after the latest explosion, with the ground still shaking, there's yet another unknown explosion. The ground shakes even harder...and Weiss looses her footing, and begins falling off the edge of the cliff. "WEISS!" I scream as I dash right off the ledge after her. I make it in time to grab her outstretched hand, then use Crescent Rose to latch into the cliff's top. The blade catches on flat ground above, embedding itself firm. Weiss and I hang on, and I try as hard as I can to hold on. Yang runs up with Blake and gets on her knees, hand outstretched. "Ruby!" she pleads "Hold on!"

I can't let go of either Crescent Rose or Weiss, and I try to see if I can gain enough momentum with Weiss's help to swing back up top. Weiss and I attempt to try and reach the cliffside as a boosting point, but then there's yet another boom and the ground shakes more. Weiss slips from my grasp, and we all scream as Weiss quickly latches on to my left leg around my ankle. My boot slides a bit, and I quickly raise my foot as much as possible, adjusting it back into place and keeping it from sliding off. I'm slipping down the handle of Crescent Rose, and tighten my grip instinctively. Yang quickly grabs Crescent Rose just under the blade, and Blake catches on. Transforming her weapon, wraps the ribbons around her left arm, but sends the blade out, which locks into the ground as an anchor, and grabs onto Yang. The two of them start to work in tandem to lift us back up to the cliff top, but there is another earth-shaking boom. Yang and Blake hold firm, but we feel the full force of the vibrations hanging on the end of this cruel chain. Yet then I see what terrifies me - Zwei falls off the cliff. I scream as I barely catch him in my right arm, and hold him firmly against my chest for dear life. What the hell is going on?! Yang's and Blake have almost lifted us to safety. Then, more hell as another quake-causing boom sounds. Yang pulls up hard on Crescent Rose and I slide back a slight bit. The earthquake jostles Crescent Rose between us. Then I hear the sound that stops my heartbeat...a small click that only happens before...I look at Yang with a look of sheer terror. Her anger disappears immediately seeing my look of terror. Then my world stops, and all goes white. There's a familiar bang, and blood immediately spurts from Yang's stomach, she lurches back and her face is wide-eyed, pupils small. Blake immediately gives a similar look. Taking a shot from Crescent Rose at point blank...has it ripped through my sister and hit Blake as well?! Just then, as the horrid sight resumes and time continues, they are both gone in an instant, thrown back from the impact, and Yang has let go of Crescent Rose. It's in this instant I realize...in shock, i've lessened my grip on Zwei. I notice this just as he starts slipping. I try to re-strengthen my grip, but Crescent Rose falls through the small space of air, with us still on it, and embeds itself back in the cliff's top. The jostle from this...sends Zwei out of my grip. I scream as he falls, and Weiss reaches out with her left hand to try and grab him...she misses. "ZWEI!" I scream as I see him plummet with a long yelp into the water below. I'm crying hysterically by now. What is this hell?! I've just shot my sister and my friend, and now i've just watched my dog die! "Ruby!" Weiss screams back up at me. "I'm still here! We'll be ok! Trust me!"

"I'm so scared!" I scream, eyes closed and tears streaming.

"I am too! But please! You've got to be strong! Please! If you don't then..."

If I don't...then Weiss will die. If I don't, then maybe I take us both down. Just then, there's another violent quake and boom as I slip to the end of Crescent Rose's handle. Weiss screams, and I grab on with both hands with strength I never thought I could muster, forming an iron-tight grip. Just as I latch hold, we yank to a stop, and Weiss almost slips. In her own panic as she screams, she clenches onto my left leg's calf so hard her fingers pierce my clothes and skin. It feels like the hook-like claws of some sort of Grimm. I scream in pain at this and in reflex kick out, the heel of my boot hits Weiss in the forehead, and there's instantly blood. Weiss clenches even harder, and I scream, but remain strong. I look down at Weiss. Her face is covered in her and my own blood, which outlines and fills the scar over her right eye. She's looking at me with a terrified look of pleading, her look begging me for forgiveness of her inflicting so much pain on me. Seeing her face...I look back up to the cliff side, tears streaming down my own face, and streaking off, falling onto Weiss's own face, helping her own tears to try and cleanse her face of blood, before they too fall into the ocean below. "HELLLLP!" I screech as loud in fear and desperation as I can. I'm too scared to focus, too scared to put any of my training to use. Just as my shriek finishes, the earth shakes again. Up top...my desperate scream has awakened my unconscious sister. She's on her back, and quickly tries sitting up, coughing out some blood. Her semblance was enough to stop the bullet in it's tracks, and causing only the shrapnel of the impact to do some shallow, but wide, damage. Her stomach is soaked with blood, and riddled with holes, visible in the bare spot under her top. She growls as she rises onto one knee, her hair aflame and eyes red. "S...SIS..."she utters through clenched teeth as she fully stands, then limps over quickly towards where we hang. Blake was also knocked unconscious, but wakes as Yang does. The back of her head bleeds from impacting the ground with such force, but her semblance seems to have prevented extensive wounding. Her back and the underside of her legs are torn up from sliding along the ground. From where skin would show, she now bleeds from tears in her clothing. She rolls onto her stomach, then slowly rises as Yang limps past her, and slowly, but with urgency, follows after. I'm relieved to see my sister's alive as she comes into my view, atop the cliff. "YANG!" I scream, still crying hysterically. Yang quickly bends down, as if to grab Crescent Rose in a safer location, but then there's another quake that causes Yang to loose all balance, and she's thrown off the cliff. Weiss and I scream, as does Blake, who does a flying head-first leap off the cliff. She throws Gambol Shroud into the cliff face to use as a grappling hook, both ribbons still wrapped around her arm. Blake grabs Yang by her right ankle with her right hand. They snap to a halt, and Blake screams with sudden stress put on her arms, but holds strong, and uses feet to get a hold on the wall. "YANG! BLAKE!" I cry out, Weiss looking on terrified. Now all four of us hang there. If any of us lets go...it's certain death. Yang looks up at me, just as terrified as I am, but hair still aflame and eyes red. "RUBY!" She calls back. "We need to launch back up!"

"What?!"

"TRUST ME!" she pleads with me, tears on her face. They hang farther down than Weiss and I do, by around ten feet. There must be at least eight feet of space between where we hang, if we were directly parallel. I look down at Weiss. "Weiss!" I plead "Hold on!"

She nods hastily, and I begin the painfully slow process of ascending the staff. It takes several painful seconds for me to use just my arms to get up to a good enough location to grab the trigger of Crescent Rose. I look down "On three!" I tell her.

"Wait, what?!"

"Weiss!"

"Please!" Blake then Yang say, finishing each others sentences. Weiss is scared, but looks up at me, and nods. "Right! When you're ready!"

I look up at Crescent Rose, and then hang on with only my right arm. With Weiss's own help, I begin to swing Weiss, who looks down with left leg extended Yang's direction. Yang has started swinging with Blake's help as well, as Yang reaches out with her right hand, ready to grab on. I'm hesitant, and although I think I am, there's no way in hell i'm ready.

"...w...one!" I sound off, as Weiss focuses the best we can as we swing.

"Two!"

"THREE!"

I pull the trigger on Crescent Rose, and the force of the shot blasts us free of our catch and down the cliff. Yang swings as we descend in seconds, and grabs Weiss's ankle. At this moment, I give another shot, then as we swing, another. Yang gives off a violent hooking punch into the air with her free hand, giving off a shot to help gain momentum, and we swing up and over the ledge, landing on the paved ground, letting go of each other, now lying in a beaten heap. I slowly get off my stomach. I'm bleeding on my forehead, and look at my hands. There's blood on them from breaking my fall, as well as grabbing so hard onto Crescent Rose. I'm cut up in several spots. I look up, and see Yang also weakly rising, cut up at the top of her chest, with a bloody chin. Weiss gets up and her beautiful attire is torn in several places, but she instinctively grabs her nose. It's bent at a strange angle. She cringes, and grabs it, before snapping it back into place with a yelp..she can't even feel her legs from knees down...they're broken. Blake gets up as well, but halfway through, starts coughing, and coughs up three teeth in total. Immediately, I crawl over to Yang as quickly as I can, despite the pain i'm in, and the pain crawling is inflicting, and throw my arms around her, bursting into tears. Yang, as soon as she feels me on her, does the same, embracing me tightly, holding me by the back of my head. Soon, Weiss to the best of her ability, then Blake, scurries over and joins us, as we cry and hold our heads together. A few seconds later, the earth shakes again with another boom. This one is MUCH louder. It quickly directs our attention back to Vale, which has pillars of smoke emitting from it caused by earlier and newer wrecks and smaller explosions of all kinds. Despite the Sirens originally, we could still hear the people screaming. With this newest explosion, all has gone quiet: even the sirens. There's another booming sound...and above Vale, a portion of the sky itself cracks as if it were glass. What...the hell...is going on?! It hasn't been the earth shaking...but...this instead?! Suddenly...the sky shatters as our world shakes from the impact. I look on in terror beyond anything I thought of before. Something cloaked in energy of some sort comes flying down out of it, like some sort of unholy, devilish meteor. There is the sound of what seems like two colossal creatures roaring and shrieking as they impact Vale. The explosion is enormous and there is a giant, brilliant, terrifying light as debris flies everywhere...for miles. A massive chunk of debris, as big as three Goliaths, is flying our way, with much, much more smaller debris with it. We can't move from terror, pain, and exhaustion. We're frozen in place with death flying our way...but Weiss is moving. She grabs the hilt of her sword with her right hand, and suddenly there's a glyph beneath us. We look at her, and her look...is indescribable. I don't know what to call it, other than a pleading look of "Forgive Me" With a single hand motion of her left arm, we're thrust towards the gates of Beacon. We try to grab her just as we take off, but to no avail. I look back only to see Weiss sitting there, propped on her right arm, unable to sit on her knees without support. Her legs bent together at a seemingly normal angle, as she looks at us soaring away. She smiles at us as we helplessly soar away, helpless herself, and unable to move. She slowly brings her left hand up, and clenches it on her chest. Smaller debris lands in the courtyard around her. She slowly closes her eyes and tilts her head down while doing some horrid mixture of laughing and crying, before finally there's the dreaded impact. It crushes her instantly, the sound of it's impact smothers out the sound of her body getting crushed into pulp. "WEISS!" We scream in unison in futility. Soon, we crash through the doors of Beacon, right at the feet of Team JNPR. They're horrified as we land at their feet, among the panic of others. "Oh my god!" Jeanne says stepping back quickly, seeing our horrifying state. Nora immediately buries her face in Ren upon getting a full glimpse at us. Pyrrha is terrified, but quickly starts trying to help us up. "You were still outside, and then when this all started we tried to come and...w...where's Weiss?!"

We look up at her, but I simply shake my head and burst into more tears. JNPR looks terrified at us "W...Weiss is...dead?!" Jeanne stammers out. Pyrrha quickly doubles her efforts to help us stand. "Get up! Get up! Now!"

Seeing us struggle, the other members of Team JNPR help us on our feet and start bringing us deeper into Beacon. Then...

" _ **AAIIIIINNNNYAAAAARRRRRGGHHH!"**_

The roar of one of the two creatures- It's a roar of pain. We hear a massive impact sound, then see a massive shadow start flying up from beyond the walls of Vale from the apparent source...towards Beacon. We start running. Then there's the impact as the creature's back impacts the seacliff, and it shakes the whole school violently.

" _ **RHAAAAA-HAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!"**_

THAT is a different creature. Suddenly, something even bigger than the first creature flies out of Vale at quick speed, and lands on top of it's downed foe. The shadow of two massive wings eclipses all of Beacon's windows as the interiors go pitch black. Then there's a strange yellow-orange glow...lightning-like energy forming around what appear to be two hands, which begin to pummel the downed monster. The terrifying orange energy is the only source of light now, and the earth shakes with every impact of the creature's fists on it's downed foe. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! It must be punching two times each second, the building shakes again and again nonstop as we run. The ceiling gives in, and debris rains down. Suddenly, Pyrrha, who was running alongside me with me on on her shoulders, drops. Her leg's become pinned. We turn around and her team rushes to her aid, but when we look at her, her face pleads a different story. "RUN!" she roars, flinging her arm out, as if to shoo us away. We can't help but leave them as we run towards a gaping hole in the far wall, where ornate glass once was. Outside, we can hear the two monsters still fighting. We stop and look out the distant hole into off the cliff and into the distant forest, and Blake looks back at the shadows of the two creatures fighting right outside. Once again, she pulls out Gambol Shroud, throwing it so it catches on to a chandelier hanging above, and then pulls the ribbon tight, as if ready to slingshot the three of us. We grab onto her and we barely muster enough force to lift our feet off the ground, as we fly towards our escape. Yet halfway through, somebody in a panic sees us and leaps up, grabbing onto Blake's leg. In reflex she whirls around to kick him off, but looses her grip on us, and the two of them fall to the ground as Yang and I are shot out. Blake kicks the guy in the head on purpose as she rises, knocking him unconscious, and dashes towards the wall breach towards us, who are now soaring once again. Behind her, the energy-wielding creature readies a more power-packed punch to end it's barrage of attacks, but the other creature grabs it's arm to prevent the strike as the fist comes down. The energy flies off of the one monster's fist and towards Beacon. "JUMP!" I scream to Blake. She's right at the breach and starts her leap just as the energy crashes though the first wall, through the hallway, and out the breach, incinerating her in seconds before our very eyes. "BLAKE!" Yang and I scream as we plummet down the cliff face. Yang looks down at the ground as we quickly approach it. "SIS HOLD ON!" She screams. I rap my arms around her chest and my legs around her hips as she begins to use the shots of her weapon to slow and direct our decent, Two shots to the ground before a flip, and two shots back towards the cliff. She lands on the ground with a skid, carrying me on her back. She breaks into a run with me on her back, but she's too exhausted to go far, and collapses face-first into the dirt. I'm thrown off her back in front of her. After landing, I quickly scurry back onto my own two feet. "YANG!" I call out as I shamble towards her and help her up. She can barely move. I haul ourselves over to the nearest boulder, and we huddle behind it. My sister and I are panicked beyond belief, and by far in shock. "It's all gone..." I say holding Yang as we hide at the base of the boulder. "Eveybody...everything...they're all dead! We're gonna die, we're gonna die!"

"No, sis, no." Yang says trying to comfort me, but she's just as terrified. "I'm still here with you! I'm going to protect you to the very end, I swear! Even if this...I won't let it BE the end! We just need to wait here, they'll go away, I swear. We've still got each other, we'll be fine, it's ok."

She's holding my head in her arms as I cry loudly and frantically. Suddenly there's a sound that terrifies us, a blast, then a massive impact with a roar of pain as Beacon behind us collapses. The creature who once had the upper hand has lost it, and has been thrown through the very school itself. I hope and pray as the ashes of the impact fly down that it stays there. Maybe, if we can just hide here a little longer, we'll be able to gain the stamina and run away...then we hear the sound of what sounds like a landslide coupled with flying and collapsing debris. It's cloudy, but we can still see around a distance around each other. I'm panicking even more now, and-

 ***DOOM***

That sound silences the both of us. I look behind me, to the left of the bolder...and see the outline of a massive hand. It's got five clawed fingers, and two whip-like, hardened claws protruding out of the back of the hand. Then we hear it. A groan of pain directly behind Yang. We turn and huddle against the rock as we she the shadow of a massive, horned head atop an elongated neck emerge. The whole creature is on it's fours in pain, downed for a moment. It takes several breaths with it's eyes closed...and we remain as quiet as possible. We're...more as silent as death. The creature opens it's eyes, which scan the area. After a few seconds of scanning...they left eye spots Yang and I. Then...it's pupil contracts with rage as it glares into us...the way the eye shines...it...it knows us?!...It _despises_ us. Immediately, I pull out Crescent Rose from off my back and point it at the eye of the creature, finger ready on the trigger. Yang...she's too weak to do what she said she would...I said I wasn't a little girl anymore...i need to prove it. I've got plenty of ammo left. With one arm holding back Yang protectively, and another on the trigger of my weapon, I wait for the creature to something. I can still only see the visage of the creature...the only thing colored is that glowing amber eye. It stares right into our very souls, and the monster growls aggressively. I then pull the trigger on Crescent Rose, ready to take the recoil!

...nothing happens.

I quickly look at Crescent Rose, and pull the trigger. Nothing. N...no ammo!? I had a near-full clip! The ammo magazine is still there! I quickly hit the magazine on it's side: it's still got plenty of shots left! Why isn't it firing?! Yang's looking directly at the creature's head in terror, and I then look myself...it's eye is glowing with that strange energy from earlier. I pull the trigger again and again in desperate frustration...nothing ever leaves the barrel. All it I get is an empty click or jam every time. The creature adjusts it's positioning, turning it's head to look directly at us. I drop Crescent Rose and fall back onto my knees huddling my sister, terrified beyond all relief. Yang is too weak to move, and I'm to scared to move. I hug my sister seeking condolence I can't seem to receive or find, and bury my head in her chest, crying uncontrollably once again. Yang's holding me the tightest she's ever held me as she looks up at the terrifying creature. It's glaring at us with some sort of evil satisfaction, joyous of the pain and terror we're in. There's a glow on the inside of it's mouth. My sister buries her head into my shoulder. "I love you so much, Ruby!" she says weeping uncontrollably. "I love you too!" I weep back partially muffled. The monster looks even more directly at us! It begins to open it's mouth and-


	3. 87 A

"A Window to the Past"

I...don't know exactly what I'm dreaming about...but I know I'm loving it. I'm in some sort of strange, half-asleep state, with my mouth open, drooling in my sleep. I can then faintly here a familiar, female voice. "Hey Ruby...c'mon now dear...you've got to wake up..."

"Hwaaahhh..." I muffle still asleep "Just a few more minutes mom...". I then hear a giggle "How cute. If you want to sleep in, that's fine...just remember what you can expect with that if you follow through." Suddenly, I know the exact identity of this voice, and awake immediately, and start flailing under the covers in panic. "I'M UP, I'M UP!" I say quickly, and in my flailing I've tangled my bed sheets up with the one over my bed, and wrapped myself up in the process. I flail wildly to try and untangle myself, and the whole sheet comes down on me. I flail a bit more, finally freeing myself. I give a sigh of relief, as I lay on my left side, and use my right arm to move the covers off my head. Parting them away...I look into the mischievously smiling face of my sister. Immediately, I spring onto my feet to show I'm awake...which wouldn't have been a bad idea if I wasn't in the top of a bunk bed. As I spring up, my head hits something above me, and I'm immediately dazed. My vision gets blurry as I see little birds flying circles above my head. I stumble on my bed a bit, before falling off, and into the arms of somebody. I lie in their arms, dazed, a few minutes, looking up into oblivion, and I shake my head, clearing my vision...I'm in my sister's arms, and she's still giving me that smile. Immediately, I jump out of her arms and onto my feet, in my pajamas, and stand tall at attention with my right hand to my head in a salute. "Ruby Rose wide awake, sir!" I say in a quick panic. My sister chuckles "at ease, soldier girl. You've done nothing that needs reprimanding for...yet."

"Uh, well..." I stammer, sweating a little "Is...are...we...am I sleeping late?"

"No, not even." She replies, crossing her arms. Blake and Weiss are behind her, Blake sits on the lower bunk while Weiss leans on the nearby wall. Both of them look concerned at me. Yang looks directly at me "but you've still got to get a few things done, lil' sis..."

"L...Like bathroom stuff? Shower, teeth brushing, right?"

"I think that general stuff. You need to get ready for the big assignment today, remember?"

"Yep!" I say with a little hop, and smiling, much more at ease with the thought of today in my head. "Checking out that one place in the southeast today. Hopefully we'll find that hideout of theirs!"

"Right..." Yang said, stroking her chin. "Although I think the professor said it wasn't Mountain Glenn...there was another city nearby, though. What did he say it was again?"

"He said even he didn't know." Blake finally speaks "He said that despite him knowing so much about the history of Remnant...nobody in the world knows how that city came to be. It was there before Mountain Glenn was established, already in ruins. It's just known as 'The Dead City' to scholars and the rest of the world alike. I guess if there's any location for a crime hideout, it's there...or, Mountain Glenn."

"So...riight...seek and destroy...I remember..." Yang says.

"Well, yeah, but that's not the main point." Weiss interjects cautiously. "It's bigger than that, remember?

Ironwood's military detected some sort of massive power radiating there from time to time. Power similar to that of an aura."

"So...we're not just going to find and destroy the hideout, but also-"

"That's just it. It might not be the hideout after all."

"Then why are we going!?" Yang huffs. "To discover some sort of strange new energy or something? And why all the top-notch equipment and the military presence?! I mean, we've got to wear those freakin...earbud...microphone...camera-things! We're going to be watched every second by the military, especially old man up top" she says pointing upwards, towards the top of Beacon's tower "And you KNOW how I feel about uninvited or unapproved interruptions and visitors to MY personal time".

"Well, just think." I say to my sister. "It...could be something they're doing. Maybe it's a weapon or something? A weapon of mass destruction or the like?"

Yang snickers. "Weapons of mass destruction...fun."

Ruby...heh, she's staring wide-eyed at me, having gotten exactly the side message I meant with that phrase. "Uhhh...so...I'm gonna go ahead and shower and stuff, kay?" she says, fearful again, before flying out of the room into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I shake my head, and turn towards Blake and Weiss. With the sudden realization they're stuck with me, their eyes turn wide a moment, they look at each other, then start behaving a little nervous. Weiss rubs the back of her head and Blake looks down. I snicker again "Hey, Blake." I say. She quickly looks up "Yes? What?". I motion over to her bookshelf with my head, my arms crossed. "Kinda sad we'll be gone for a while. I was hoping on reading the rest of that book with you...after all, it is your favorite, right?"  
"Uh...yeah." she says "It...is a good one, but I think I can last a little without that".

"Well, we only need necessities so..." Weiss interjects again "I...think it'll be a practice in patience!"

"Aww, that's adorable." I say. "So, what about you? Going to miss being the queen of the castle?"

"Wha?..." Weiss stammers "N..I...uh..." I chuckle to myself, and then hear the sound of shower water running. I look towards the bathroom door, then towards Ruby's bed, which is still messy. I snicker, and then simply call out "Ruby! You forgot something!"

Immediately, Ruby knows what I mean. She flies out of the bathroom using her semblance, rose petals are scattering everywhere as she flies up to her bed and makes it in seconds, before flying back down. Right as she passes me, I reach out and grab behind her. There's a high-pitched shriek as Ruby flies back into the bathroom...and her towel in my grasp. The door slowly opens, and Ruby's head pokes out of it fearfully. I look at her towel. Just like her pajama bottoms, roses all over. "H-hey!" Ruby says "C...can I have that back, sis?"

I look at her towel, then hold it by it's longer end, twist it about a few times, then wrap it around my neck like a scarf, and cross my arms, giving a smug look to my sister, who's looking terrified at me. We stare at each other for a few moments, before I hear Blake behind me. "You can use mine" she says to Ruby quickly. Ruby gives a very quick, high-pitched squeak in fear of "thank you" before quickly slamming the door. I turn around towards Blake. "Aww, good kitty!" I say "that was nice of you to do that".

"Yeah, well...we can't be late, so...that, and...your plan there wasn't so bad either." she says trying to defend herself. I smirk "of course it wasn't." I reply, holding part of Ruby's towel with my right hand, then bringing it to my face and sniffing. "Heh...she did a _damn_ good job with her laundry this time" I say, taking another sniff. The others look incredibly fearful at me, but still keep their cool...heh, if only the mission were a few days away...I've been wanting to try a few things, but, I guess like my snow princess said, it's an exercise of patience...oh well, I'm OK with that. I haven't kicked enough ass recently, so it would be nice to go ahead and go back to beating the shit out of people like I love to do. I throw Ruby's towel over Blake's head, who hastily throws it off, and I crack my knuckles with a grin. "Ahh...I've actually missed a huntress's line of work." I say. "Guess that's why we're all here at Beacon, hmm?"

Weiss and Blake agree with me by giving me a slow nod.

I'm scared about what I might see when I come out of the bathroom, but I emerge to see Yang nowhere present, and Blake with Weiss, both breathing relieved. Yang left early because, as she apparently told them "I feel like my stomach is eating itself", so she went for breakfast early. We followed after, a little reluctantly. Once we were done there, we were to report to where our transports were waiting outside. We weren't the only team on this mission. Team JNPR was coming as well. As we approach our transport, we see Team JNPR already boarding theirs. I then look towards Yang...and She's looking at Pyrrha, who's the last boarding the transport. My sister licks her lips as she watches Pyrrha board the ship...and I somehow gain a strange amount of confidence. I flick Yang in the ear and give a low squeak, as if to say "hey, you can't! We need to focus here!". She turns and looks down on me with a glare that makes me feel absolutely minuscule. I turn towards the transport again and quickly hop aboard and into my place...with Yang sitting next to me. I give a shutter, gulp, and put my hands directly on my knees, and take a deep breath, and try to pretend nothing's wrong. We take off quickly, and begin the transport. It will be at least an hour's ride...n..next to my sister. I try to think about other things. Like playing Remnant: The Game, the upcoming Vytal Festival, taking down those crooks, cookies, strawberries, our dog Zwei, and the-

I give a low squeak as I feel my sister's arm go behind my shoulders, her hand resting on my left shoulder. I slowly turn to her, looking to my right...and she's got a soft smile. I...is she...She gives a relaxed smile with a bit of a sigh, and upon seeing her eyes... I do similarly. She is! She looks into my eyes "y...you know I'm still your sister, right?..." she asks me. I nod in response to her "Yeah...I know you're still Yang in there. I still love you sis..."

"T..thank you for putting up with me." she says with a tear coming down her left cheek. When I was young...I was too little to understand what was going on when Yang got back late from her friend's house years ago. Why there were police at the house, why Yang was crying so much...why dad was so angry...and...now that I do...It's the only reason I hold even stronger onto my sister...and I can't believe Weiss and Blake are so sympathetic about this, too. It...it's not Yang's fault she's like the way she is sometimes...but when I see my sister shining through, and not...whatever that terrifying event in the past had created...It makes it so much more worth while. Yang rubs the top of my head, then scoots down in her seat a bit, before closing her violet eyes. I...If anybody else at Beacon found out about Yang...I..I don't know if she'd even be allowed on campus grounds anymore. For once in a very long time, I scoot close to my sister, knowing it's safe, and lean my head on her shoulder. I'm...crying a little bit i'm so happy. Weiss and Blake are looking at me with soft, rewarding smiles. I...it's all worth it in the end, I think...no...I know so. I close my eyes shut, and then begin to rest, before once again falling asleep.

A few jostles of the aircraft wake me. I move my head around on Yang's shoulder at first, eyes still closed, but the jostling prevents me from sleeping again. We must be descending. I slowly open my eyes, and everything's blurry at first. As my vision clears, I note...Yang's face above me. I smile weakly at first as my vision is still cloudy, then clears...and I see her dark violet eyes, and the grin on her face. Immediately, it's with this I realize...what's up, and where my head is. I immediately panic, falling off the lap of my sister and onto the floor of the transport. My sister bursts out laughing "My dear, sis. You've got to be more careful and anticipate when Yang Xiao Long is around...and when Lilith Xiao Long is instead".

"W-well she was!" I say, and she raises an eyebrow. I suddenly panic in fear with what I've said. "So you're telling me I had a slip-up, and she showed up?" she asks. "N-no!" I stammer, as Weiss and Blake look on fearful for me. "It's j-just that I fell asleep and then kinda-"

"Shhh..." my sister says, putting her finger to her lips. "It's ok little sis...don't cry. Don't worry. I only say what I do to scare you, you know. I wouldn't dare do anything I said...besides, I don't know how to do what I threaten, actually. Besides...I like seeing you happy, and after all, Yang still comes back every time she needs to, right? Maybe I let her come out this time. I hope you liked talking to her, you know...talking to me".

"O...of course!" I say smiling with a big, fake smile, that is somehow convincing. "You're my big sis! I'll love you forever!"

"Of course you will." she replies. "You show me how much you love me, and I you, plenty". I shudder at this last utterance as I crawl up into a seat between Weiss and Blake, across from my sister. She grins at us, crossing her ankles, then giving a stretch, adjusting...her chest, then looking out the window. I turn to Weiss and Blake. "Since when did this happen?!" I whisper low. "Since she woke up about ten minutes before you." Weiss says with a worried look "We were going to try and wake you, but she...wouldn't let us in the slightest way attempt..."

"D...did she do any-"

"No." Blake says. "She just sort of...stroked your hair and looked at you...I...well..."

I look worried at my sister, then down towards the floor of our transport. "You...you two are some of the kindest people I've ever met." I say, to which they seem surprised. "You...I don't understand why you didn't...why you never told anybody about Yang...and how you go through this...and still stand".

"...Well, I guess even a story like yours and Yang's...can break even the hardest of stone hearts." Weiss says smiling. "I...i'm not the nicest girl at times, I know, and even to you...but...knowing the struggle of you and your sister...I...I have...such a..." Weiss seems at a loss for words. She brings both her hands together, folding them, and rests them in front of her face a moment, pausing, before then just shaking her head "I just can't be angry. Something like that...reminds me that I really didn't have the worst of lives, as I thought I did...and...then when I remember how I treat you sometimes...I'm really, really sorry, Ruby. To be honest, I don't know how you stood through so many years of this."

"...I doubt even those I knew in my past would be as barbaric to do something as similar to what happened to your sister." Blake says "despite the fact that...it was indeed a Faunus who..." she's incredibly uncomfortable, but smiles "...I...guess I...just...like what Weiss said. I...I can't look at you and...not feel something towards you, some sort of sympathy. Seeing and being with you and...Lilith...there's something more to what meets the eye there. There's something that...just is more off than what's obvious about it all...but, on the bright side..."

"a bright side to this all?" I ask.

"To this mission...knowing Lilith...you should be able to see much more of Yang."

I smile weakly. "Well...true. Yet, I don't...I don't know how you can put up again and again with the-"

"The same reason you do and have." Weiss says.

"Because it's not Yang doing it." Blake finishes for them both. "I ask you, Ruby, hold on: we're here with you. Who knows...maybe, one day...there might be a way to get your sister back...and...one day, if Lilith doesn't have Yang as a back up...then that will be the day she pays with her head".

I smile at them, and they return it. Suddenly, I hear her voice "My my, you three...isn't it bad to gossip about somebody who's listening?". We freeze. Directly to my right, in the seat next to Blake...my sister sits there, leaned in as we are...the look on her face...she's heard everything. She grins at us "When we get back to Beacon...you three...are in BIG, BIG trouble...". We're wide-eyed at this, when then Lilith seems distracted by something, and looks up and over us. Her face is...well, fitting. "...Well holy shit..." she says "...I guess that's The Dead City...".

We turn around slowly and look out the window. Below, the ruins of the mysterious city...they give off a strange, eerie aura...a malevolent aura. I shudder as I see the nearing landing zone, and the ominous city growing closer and closer...we land near a small base of operations within what appears to be the ruins of an old apartment complex. We exit our transport as Team JNPR exits theirs, and the ships fly off. Instinctively, we head inside and find the main "control room", for lack of better words, stationed in the lobby. There are Atlas soldiers there, as well as a woman in white who looks a lot like-

"Winter!" Weiss says, running up to her sister. Winter turns, and smiles upon seeing her sister, who stops around five feet away. "Greetings, sister. A pleasant surprise to see you here."

"Yeah, I know, right? So...why are you here?" Weiss asks.

"The majority of that is classified..." Winter replies "But of what I can tell you, i'm basically your military liaison for this assignment. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, not at all!"

"I thought not. How have you been?"

"Great! My studies have been well, I'm in the top of my class and-"

Winter smacks her sister in the head. "Child, I did not ask you of your performance" she snaps, then smiling again. "I asked you how you've been. Have you made any friends?"

"Yeah!...I have!" she says with a brief pause, turning, and gesturing to us and team JNPR. "These here are all my friends! And those three there- Ruby, Blake, and L-er, I mean Yang, are my team-mates!"

Lilith caught Weiss's slip-up, and eyes her for a few moments, before Winter moves closer our way. Lilith immediately acts as if everything's normal, as Winter now stands in front of me. "So...you're the Ruby Rose my sister has been writing about, hmm?"

"Y-yep! That's me!" I say, my nervousness with meeting new people setting in. "So...uh, Weiss has wrote about me to you, huh?..."

"Quite..." she looks back at Weiss "You...weren't too far off with your description."

"Is...that a good or bad thing?" I ask. Winter looks at me "Well...we'll see". She begins to walk past me, but puts her hand on my left shoulder as she passes, and speaks low to me. "My condolences." she says "about your sister..." she then continues to walk past me. I look wide-eyed at Weiss, who immediately knows what her sister has told me. "You TOLD her?!" I said angrily to her low. "Not everything!" Weiss said. "She said that Yang's name sounded familiar, and when I said you were sisters, she said she remembered hearing about that case on Patch! I swear, that was it!"

I look into Weiss's face...she's telling the truth. I sigh. "sorry...i guess it's just more public than I thought."  
"at least to those in law enforcement, I think..."

I look at Winter as she passes by Lilit...no...Yang! It's definitely my real sister! Her eyes are a lighter shade, and the way she looks around at things differently...it's my sister! Lilith must have grown weary of Winter and backed off for now, for some reason. Finally, the briefing starts. "Now...I'll cut to the direct point. This isn't just a seek and destroy mission. Yes, we've received intel that there might be a criminal hideout of sorts in the region," Winter explains "It's because of something else you might have heard. An energy coming from this reason."

"What's so special about this energy?" Pyrrha asks. Winter shakes her head "...we don't know what it is. From our measurements, they're...catastrophically powerful. Something that could hint to a weapon of some sort...and yet...It's incredibly similar to a vastly powerful aura."

"You think there might be some sort of...aura weapon here?" Weiss asks her sister. "We're open to nearly any explanation..." Winter says "but that's what we believe is most likely...yet, it doesn't behave like a weapon firing. It's timing is sparratic. There's no pattern to when it begins to emit, how long it begins to emit, the only thing in common is the power levels...which are immense...?" Winter's looking up at Pyrrha, who seems to have something in her mind. "Does this ring a bell to you, Pyrrha Nikos?"

"Hm?!" Pyrrha says, her name suddenly bringing her back to reality. "Well...when you said that phrase...how there's nothing really in common with the energy emissions...for some reason, I...pictured in my head the scenario of something violently resisting captivity".

"You think there's something alive out here making these emissions?"

"Well...you said that the energy is incredibly similar to that of an Aura...and only a living being can have one. We...might be dealing with something that we could...perhaps...converse with?"

Winter stares down Pyrrha from across the table. "...your reasoning isn't flawed...but...if it were an aura, that doesn't explain the Grimm's behavior towards it".

"The creatures of Grimm are reacting to this energy?" Yang asks. I hold back tears as I hear my sister speak on her own accord. Winter nods, and brings up a holographic map. "Strangely enough...there aren't many creatures of Grimm here as one would think there to be. Each red dot you see here is some manner of Grimm." upon the map, there are many clusters of red dots, many of which are so close that they seem to form one irregularly shaped mass. "This was two weeks ago," Winter explains "On a Tuesday. Keep your eye on the Creatures of Grimm. You'll be able to see the energy's epicenter fairly soon."

All seems fine on the map, when suddenly, an orange circle suddenly appears at the circle of the map and quickly grows to a massive size. The second the orange field intersects red on the map, the Grimm flee away from the source of energy...save for a few. From two different patches of red, two large red icons are heading towards, deeper into the field of orange. "Are...those Goliaths?" I ask. Winter freezes the feed, then touches and highlights a singular red dot. "THAT is a Goliath" she says, and brings it next to one of the anomalies. In comparison, the unidentified Creature of Grimm is larger, and is moving faster. "So...are these new Grimm?" I ask. Winter is uncertain "To discover a new species of Grimm this late...would be disturbing, but it is plausible. Yet...I still wonder why they, if they are Grimm, why they're the only ones that gather in this area when the energy emits..."

"Where is this area where the energy seems to be emitting from?" Ren asks.

"Somewhere within a Ten-mile radius of our current location." Winter responds. "But we're away from the epicenter...the direct epicenter, anyway. That's why the plan is to search for any sort of location or source. You two teams will take the east and west today. If we can, begin to search the north and south. This source of energy has to be identified. If it is dangerous...it must be dealt with."

"...is there any idea on how this energy effects people?" Blake asks. Winter gives a slight delay "...no. That's why I say exercise caution. Again, we know nothing other than the fact that it's very powerful. It's caused no effect to the area around us, but again, the effects on non-Grimm living beings is unknown."

It's a hard fact to swallow for us all. Soon, we receive that equipment Lilith was dreading. It's similar to a singular headphone, hooking over our right ears. A camera, audio recorder, and tracking device are also with it. Once we have these equipped, our teams split up. JNPR in the West, RWBY in the East. We've walked about twenty minutes when Winter comes over the communicators. "First communication test. Team RWBY, how's communication?"

"Hearing you clear as day." I say, putting my hand to my ear. "Are we coming in fine?"

"Your visual and audio is clear, and your tracking well on our systems." Winter responds. "JNPR, can you read me?"

"Loud and clear". Jeanne confirms "We can hear Ruby on our end too".

"Good, you're also online. Final check, how are your signals?"

"Strong and clear". A voice says. I immediately recognize the voice, as does everybody else. "Professor Ozpin?"i ask.

"Now now, Ruby." he replies "We're just observing on our end for now."

"It's This way we can make an immediate assessment in case the source of the energy and how to deal with it" I hear another voice say. It's General Ironwood. I hear Weiss give a slight huff. "Three for three?..." she says low.

"I heard that!" snaps over the communicators. I sigh with a smile "Well, just means that we're coming in clear, right?" I ask

"Crystal." She replies in a calmer tone.

"Now, this is more than just identifying a simple anomaly" Ozpin states "as you may obviously guess. Due to it's footprint, any and all options and explanations are on the table, granted recent events. This is just a precautionary threat assessment. Once we find out what our anomaly is and deal with it, you all return and life can continue as normal. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Can I quote you on that?" Yang asks.

"Not quite yet." he replies.

"Alright. Guess we'll start putting these to good use. We'll keep advancing East for now."

"Right, and us West." Pyrrha replies.

"Stay safe." Winter says "We'll be watching. Over and out".

I look at the other members of my team...especially Yang, who's smiling warmly at me, a few tears on the verge of coming down her cheek. She nods in agreement, and then I turn towards Weiss and Blake, who do similarly, as we press on.

Meanwhile, Ozpin, Goodwitch, and Ironwood watch on. "Are you sure your students are ready for something like this?" Ironwood asks. Ozpin takes a drink from his mug "These are among the best and most qualified of my students. They're all we need for this quick assessment."

" 'Quick Assessment'!" a voice rebuttals. "Regardless of what you say, I WILL quote you on that".

They turn to Qrow, who leans on a nearby pillar. Glynda is irritated with his presence, as to be expected "Do you have anything to do other than just second-guess everything, you drunk?!" she snaps. "Now now, Glynda-" Ozpin tries to calm her down with, but Qrow interrupts him. "I'm not second-guessing. Just pointing out the obvious". He pulls out a flask and takes a large drink. "Just because your nieces are out there-" Glynda tries to argue, but is cut off again.

"Just because my nieces are out there doesn't mean a thing, no offense to those two."

"Then what do you call this operation?" Ozpin asks.

" 'Nothing to be afraid of'." Qrow quotes with an angry tone. Ozpin doesn't reply. "You KNOW where I'm getting at, don't ya, Oz? There's only ONE thing that comes close to that power we've picked up, yet even that is dwarfed by whatever's out there."

"So are you saying-" Ironwood tries to say, but is interrupted.

"By all evidence, yes. Whatever's out there is exhibiting power beyond that of a Maiden. Yet what I want to know, is why the hell are we looking into it, other than curiosity? Is it really just that?...or is somebody looking to see if they can get their hands on it?"

"Now I can assure you that there's no such a scheme going on." Ozpin replies. "This is more along the lines of as you said, curiosity, than a power-grabbing spree..."

"Heh, maybe. I just don't like the idea of fucking with something that could beat the hell out of the gods we already know." he replies, taking another swig from his flask. "None of us do." Ozpin says.

"So, what if on our little 'hide and seek' mission here my nieces end up finding something that really screws us over, huh? Something better left alone and undisturbed?" Qrow blurts.

"Then it will be dealt with accordingly when the time comes; and if necessary, protected."

"Pfft, we're doing such a good job with protecting powerful things already, aren't we?..."

"Yes, we are-"

"Are NOT. You know what's going on. You even used that as defense for this whole field trip. You're sending innocent youths into a completely blind situation, with the only objective to find power stronger than gods. Frankly, if this does turn out to be something, I don't think you're gonna like what's going to happen next."

"I already don't." Ozpin firmly states. "Yet we cannot look past this. As soon as we get the clearest of ideas what's going on out there, we'll act accordingly to it."

"Heh...I can understand you, Oz...but i've just got one hell of a bad feeling about this. Ya know...really having my doubts on this one."

"...you're not alone in that regard." Ozpin replies, adjusting his vision back to the feeds on his screens.

We must have been walking for a few minutes. We walk down one of the ruined streets when suddenly Blake stops. I stop and look back, with Yang and Weiss. "What's up, Blake?". Blake looks around a moment, then brings her right hand to her ear. "Hey, Winter. Are you picking up a low humming on my end?"

"No, you're clear on my end." she responds. "It's probably just a minor technical issue".

"I'm...not so sure...one sec."

Blake takes off her earpiece and looks around. After a couple seconds, she puts it back on her ear. "It's not a technical issue." she states "I'm hearing a low humming".

"We're not detecting anything from our end from your unit." Winter replies. "You're sure you're hearing something?"

"I'm sure. Do you hear it?" Blake says, looking at us. We listen to the area around us. "...i can't hear anything, Blake." I say.

"I've got nothin." Yang says.

"Maybe it's this wind." Weiss says, as a gust of wind blows, and the streets howl with it. Blake shakes her head. "It's not coming and going...it's constant. And...I...think it's slowly getting louder."

"The energy isn't radiating..." Winter says "...but be careful, and proceed with caution."

We begin to move several feet forwards, except for Blake. She shakes her head. "No, I won't."

We turn back as she says this. "Blake! Move forward!" Winter orders.

"Negative! I'm not moving!" she snaps over her device.

"Do as you're ordered! Now!"

I try to say something...but then...I hear it. A low hum...and from Weiss and Yang, I hear it too. "SHH!" I snap over my own communicator...Winter herself is now picking up on the low hum...suddenly, my vision starts getting foggy, and my head begins to hurt. "My...head..." I say, holding my head with my left hand. Weiss and Yang start suffering similar symptoms. "Get over here!" Blake says, and we rush over her direction. The closer we get to her, the lower the hum gets, and the less severe our symptoms are. We've gathered near her, when suddenly, the humming gets louder quite quickly. We all fall to our knees and hold our heads, covering our ears. There's now a loud ringing in my ears, and I can't hear anything. I hear what sounds to be Winter's voice, but I can't make out anything. My vision is incredibly foggy now. Suddenly I hear what sounds like Ozpin, Goodwitch, Ironwood too...and...my uncle? Their voices are panicked and with urgency, but I can't hear them still over this buzzing. I look up at the others...and towards Blake...behind her, from out of thin air, a large, dark shape materializes. Blake looks up at me and my look of terror. I quickly point behind her and scream.

" **GRIMM!"**

Blake looks behind her, only seeing the creature's black foot, and it's enough to get her to move. She suddenly leaps forwards, leaving a copy of herself behind her. The Grimm slashes where Blake once was, slashing the decoy in half, before suddenly disappearing into thin air again. Seeing this, we quickly struggle to our feet and run our original direction as fast as we can. We can't hear the buzzing anymore, but Blake can. "Did it just...disappear?!" I stammer

"It's doing more than just that." Ozpin states. "...it's dematerializing."

"T...that's not possible, is it?!" Weiss panics.

"It's a Grimm. There's still plenty we don't know about them!" Ozpin responds again. "And if it's using dematerialization in order to hunt it's victims...then it's completely invincible until it goes to strike."

I'm terrified by this. A Grimm that's...invincible, invisible, and can only be damaged when you're at your weakest. "Blake!" I call to her, and she nods. Quickly, she removes her bow covering her ears and tries to pinpoint it's location. She suddenly focuses a direction. "There!" she points back to where we just where, before suddenly turning around "and...there!" the direction where we were heading originally...she was picking up on another one?! We're cornered between two invincible Grimm, which slowly close in on us. Suddenly, Weiss seems to realize something. "Blake!" she says "Point out the closest one!" Blake listens again, then points back towards where we were first attacked. "That one!" she calls. Weiss draws her weapon, the clip of which turns, and then fires a blast of electricity from the tip, which flies the direction of the attacker. Suddenly, the electricity strikes something, And the Grimm is suddenly visible. Around 30 ft long, bipedal, with two long arms, boasting three massive, white-and-red claws that must be 6ft long in and of themselves. It's got a small head atop a long neck, and the entire body is covered in black feathers, a mane of which goes down it's neck, forms what looks like wings on it's arms, and a tail fan at the tail tip. It screeches in immense pain from the voltage, and then suddenly drops to the ground, dead. Weiss then turns the direction of the other Grimm and launches another bolt of electricity. Once again, the new Grimm is shocked into revealing itself, but the bolt itself too indirect of a hit to kill it. I pull out Crescent Rose and give a single shot, which hits it's head, and delivering an instant-kill. I turn to Weiss "Nice going..." I say "But...how did you know that would work?"

"Heh..." she gives an uneasy sigh "Blake's not the only one who likes to read in her spare time. I remember reading once about how magnetism and electricity can effect ions and the like. Then, when Ozpin said that the Grimm were dematerializing...the way they did, it looked as if they were doing it using vibrations to do that...so I just put two and two together and...boop! Dead Grimm."

"heh...pretty, wealthy, and smart." Yang says "you cover all bases, don't you?"

Weiss stamps her foot in annoyance. There's a chuckle from Ozpin "Now now, Weiss just remembered something crucial and acted upon it, that is all. Although, what might work best on one of those...Shadow Reapers -As we'll call them for now- would be an electromagnetic pulse. Both of your teams have one half of this Grimm's surefire death: you're lucky to have the comrades you do by your side. Either way, this is alarming. In the area where unknown power was detected, the first seen individual Shadow Reapers were discovered and killed. With that other Grimm that was detected from satellite feeds undoubtedly roaming the area as well...stay on high alert. Who knows what other kinds of new acquaintances you'll meet. Stay sharp."

It's another few minutes of walking, but nothing too major. Over time we run into a few already known Grim: a pack of Beowolves, some Ursai, and then we ran into a pair of Goliaths...who we're still dealing with. The professor wasn't kidding when he said the only thing my weapon would do is enrage one of these things. We can't really find a weakpoint on these things. They take blows from my enraged, semblance-empowered sister quite easily. We try attacking their legs, but to no avail. All we're doing is causing a big commotion. I manage to land on the ruins above one of the Goliath and I fire several shots to try and shoot it's eyes out...but it's not exactly cooperating. At least, not with us. It's pal, on the other hand, is a different story. They really aren't mindless after all, as they try and lead us into the attacks of their partner, or into each other to give them an opening. The goliath i'm shooting at charges the building I stand upon, and I jump off and give several slashes down it's back as I evade the strike. Nothing. The Goliath turns towards me and bellows at me...and I then hear something else bellow back. It's not a Goliath. Whatever it was, it came from behind me. I evade the Goliath that keeps Weiss and I busy, while looking back towards where Yang and Blake deal with their own Goliath. The bellow of response came from that direction...and soon it's maker emerges. Right as their Goliath attempts a charge at Blake and Yang, something bursts from the ruins behind it. Another Grimm...and this one isn't playing nice with other Grimm. A vicious head with a massive sword-chin bursts out of the ruins and attacks the Goliath behind the head, biting it, while also embedding the sword-chin's blade deep into it's flesh with ease. The Goliath screams in pain at it's attacker, who I can now get a good look at. It must be at least 60ft long, with a somewhat rounded head, and vicious jaws. The bottom jaw, of which I mentioned, has a large, blade-like chin that must be 3-4 ft long. At the top of the head, two horns that curl forwards. Starting at the back of the head and throughout the entire body, black feathers adorn it, with white armor plating occasionally appearing on the sides, and several plates rising up on the middle of the back in defiance of the feathers below. It's arms are somewhat long, two-fingered, and have some wing-like armor plating to them, although not majorly. At the end of it's tail is a large, claw-like spike...which I heard our professor once say the technical term of which is...thagomizer? Good night, I probably butchered that. The newer Grimm actually lifts the Goliath off the ground as they slide forwards, before slamming it on the ground again, killing it. The other Goliath roars in anger that it's partner has been killed, but also by another Grimm. The newer Grimm looks up at the Goliath who dares dispute it's actions. It rips it's jaw free from the dead Grimm and roars, the blood of Grimm still fresh on it's blade and teeth. "T...that thing's killing other Grimm?" Weiss says in shock as she stands next to me, safely away from the conflict. Yang and Blake have made it over safely to us by now. "T...that's...unheard of." Winter stammers over the communicators "It's...barbaric, even among Grimm standards!"

"It doesn't care anyway..." I note. "Just look at the way it's acting...it's a Tyrant among Grimm."

"...Tyrant..." Ozpin states in response "...Quite."

The elder Tyrant roars angrily at the Goliath, who charges. The Tyrant avoids the attack with surprising ease, and stabbing the Goliath in the back flank with it's tail-claw, and pulls it back, as if reeling it in. The Goliath breaks free, turns around, as the Tyrant looks at it, it's body curved in a C-shape. The Goliath charges again, and the Tyrant lunges forwards, running it's chin-blade through the Goliath's skull, and embedding it's tail-spike in the creature's spinal cord. It's a brutal way to go, for sure. I'm terrified by this thing's sheer brutality. It rips the Goliath free from it's chin, using it's tail spike, then dis-lodges it from the thagomizer itself, before bellowing into the sky. Suddenly, my sister slides back on some of the rubble we're resting on, and the Tyrant looks our way. Ozpin orders us to run, but looking at the eyes of the Tyrant, something tells me otherwise. "NOBODY MOVE!" I snap low, just as they were all about to take off, and end up resting in uncomfortable positions. The Tyrant slowly approaches us. "What are you doing?!" Ironwood orders "Fall back! Now!"

"It's partially blind, if you look at those eyes!" I snap back low. Ozpin then knows what I'm trying to state. "It's got sight-based movement..." he says "If they move, they're as good as dead. It won't stop chasing them so long as it would see them still moving!"

The Tyrant's chin-blade tip is inches away from me. I'm lying as still as possible. The wind blows, but the movement of our clothes and hair isn't enough to trigger an attack. It must think of them the same as moving foliage...but bright. It growls as it sniffs near us, before snorting in the face of Blake and Yang...it doesn't see us. It turns, then goes back to it's kills, and begins cannibalizing it's victims. We scoot down below the wall of rubble...we're pinned. If we get out to move, we'll be seen. Winter comes over the communicators. "JNPR, assist RWBY immediately! Buy them some time for them to escape!"

"R-right! We're coming!" I hear Jeanne say. I look at the other members of my team, but then, locking scared faces with Weiss...I myself come up with an idea. "Hey, Weiss?" I say.

"What?" she snaps back in slight fear.

"I've got an idea...this is a weird question, but..."

"What? Spit it out!"

"...do you have anything shiny you don't need?"

Weiss's eyes widen...she gets what i'm saying. She reaches into her pocket, and pulls out...what looks like her company's credit card. "Wait, that?!" I ask, imagining the millions that could be accessed with that. Weiss crosses her arms and huffs "went shoe-shopping the other day and found I'm declined and refused for anything. As much as I like my father's money...i don't need it. Take this stupid thing."

She hands it to me, and I actually hear what sounds like a chuckle from Winter. "Thanks...Blake, think you can punch a hole in it with your weapon real quick?"

"That and one more for you." she says, holding up...an extra bow, unraveled as a ribbon. She uses the tip of her sword to punch a hole in the card, then she ties her ribbon through it, and hands the finished result to me. I take it in my hand, then stand up a little, looking for a good location...i see one atop a semi-distant ruin, atop a beam sticking up just beyond the Tyrant's reach. I turn towards them, and eye my sister. I smile uneasily "now, sis..." I say "You better be proud of me if this works...this is going to be the most...Yang-ish thing I've ever done". She smiles at me, appreciative to talk to me. "Well...you've got to grow up sooner or later, sis. Sometimes that involves making stupid decisions and doing stupid things. Make me proud".

I nod, then, activate my semblance and dash towards the feeding elder Tyrant. I run several quick circles around it, which immediately gets it's attention, as it roars and snaps at nothingness in confusion. Then, knowing I have it's attention, I make a mad dash towards the distant beam, doing the fastest parkour I've ever done in my life, and doing a massive leap of faith, hanging the card on the beam, and disappearing from the Tyrant's view. It looks around for a few moments the direction I dashed off towards...then it happens. The noon-time sun's light is reflecting off of Weiss's card as it turns in the air, suspended. The Tyrant falls for the bait, and gives a growl as it slowly walks towards the false object. I fly back over to my team, directly into my sister's arms, and after a brief celebration, we take our opportunity and flee. We continue a while longer, and Winter's decided that we're on a better track than JNPR, since we've run into these new Grimm, and has decided they are to follow behind us until we stop to meet up. It's been almost an hour since our Tyrant encounter, and we haven't seen another one, but ran into a few more Beowolves. We walk down a different city street, when there's suddenly a massive screech of interference over the communicators. I immediately give a slight shriek and hold my ear as the brief sound emits, before disappearing as quickly as it came. I look at the others. "I wasn't the only one who got that, right?" they nod their heads, and from the looks on their faces, they also had similar pain. "What is with the interference today...?" Winter asked "Was that on your end, general?"

"Quite..." he says annoyed. "I suggest when the day's search is over, repairing these things".

"Yes, sir. I'll see to it it gets done".

We take a few more steps, then take a right down a different street. At first, all looks "normal"...it's a ruined street...but Weiss freezes. I turn towards her "What is it, Weiss?" I ask...her look is of pure fear, and she slowly points ahead in the street. We turn and look...and soon our face matches her's...lying in the street...is Pyrrha, apparently dead, head facing away from us, on her stomach. My eyes are wide, and I slowly bring my right hand to my ear. "P...Pyrrha?" I get nothing but static over the communicators for a response. "Pyrrha?...hello?!"

I then hear my own voice...emanating from where Pyrrha lies on the ground...she...she's...

"Oh my god! Pyrrha!" I cry out with tears, and dash towards her.

"PYRRHA WATCH OUT!" Jeanne calls to me, and I intercept and counter the strike of a younger Tyrant that we've come across. It's not alone. It's got three other ones to back it up. As young, they seem social and pack-hunting, only around 25 ft long, and cunning: quite a contrast to their elder version that team RWBY ran into. They lack as much of a chin blade,have more extensive feathering, and no armor plating at all. The young Tyrant attacking me once again lunges at me with it's jaws open, but I bash it's head aside with my shield before stabbing it in the head with my weapon in it's spear form. Stabbing it in the eye, it's an instant kill. Strangely, these ones have much clearer vision...I take only a split second to look over the new species of Grimm I've just slain, before I'm quickly drawn to the one Jeanne's struggling with. It attacks violently and wildly again and again, striking wildly like the juvenile it is. I rush to Jeanne's aid, and leaping atop the beast with between it's shoulders, and slashing at the back of it's neck repeatedly with my weapon in it's shorter sword form. The younger Tyrant thrashes wildly with me on it's back, trying to buck me off. I hear a scream from Jeanne, and the Tyrant turns in flailing towards him, only to have Jeanne finish what i've started, decapitating the inadequate, although troublesome, young Grimm. I jump off as the body collapses, and turn towards Jeanne with a warm smile. Ren and Nora have finished off their opponent as well. I turn towards the dead bodies of the Tyrants...Shadow Reapers...Tyrants...all seen for the first time in this city. Something's not sitting well with me. "Hey, now why does Team RWBY get to have all the first-time fun with the new guys, huh?!" Nora argues "I feel like I'm being left out".

"Ehh...not really." Jeanne says "You'd probably be doing exactly what I think Yang might be doing: charging in blindly."

"Aww but that's the fun part! Not knowing what i'm fighting and figuring it out for the first time!"

"That is, until it fatigues you and cuts you in half" Ren replies.

"O...oh right...yeah...we got lucky with that Shadow Reaper..." Nora says rubbing the back of her head. "...if you hadn't caught on to it early, Pyrrha...well, thanks!"

I smile. "It's nothing, really. Just looking out for my teammates."

Jeanne and the other smile at me, but then, Ruby comes over the communicators "P...Pyrrha?".

Her voice is terrfied, I quickly put my hand to my ear "Yes? Hello? I can hear you."

"Pyrrha?...hello!?"  
"I'm right here!" I say "I can read you loud and clear, hello?!"

"Ruby!" Winter snaps "Pyrrha and JNPR can hear you fine, what is the-..."  
"Oh my god! Pyrhha!" Ruby says, and there's suddenly static on her end. My eyes are wide in fear, and dart around a second "Winter? General? Professor? Anyone?"

There's nothing but static on our their ends. I turn towards others...something is definitely not right. Immediately, we start running team RWBY's direction.

I'm running directly towards where Pyrrha lies. I collapse on my knees just before reaching her, and stop, looking directly at her...she...she's really dead...Weiss, Blake, and Yang are right behind me...and just as terrified and shocked as I am. I reach out my hand to try and touch Pyrrha, as if to confirm to myself this horrid fantasy...my hands are inches from her back...then, suddenly, there's a flash of a black mist, and suddenly, something's being swung at me. I barely avoid it, rolling onto my side and standing, weapon drawn. The others have also avoided the attack. I look towards Pyrrha's body and...it's standing...but...it's not Pyrrha...whatever it is...it looks exactly like her...if she were a Grimm. This creature looks exactly like Pyrrha, but with black skin, black-and-white armor, red hair with black highlights, red eyes...and a Grimm mask...It's wielding it's weapon, and standing...exactly as if it where Pyrrha...this...this is _definitely_ a new one. Suddenly, it shifts it's stance, and tilts it's head. It's eyes focus on me...then on each individual member of the team...of the four of us, it focuses on Yang and I the longest...then, it smirks. It retracts it's weapons, sheathing them, then stares directly at us, with an evil, smug look...from the communicator feeds and their stunned silence...Winter and the others must also be watching. Yang's angry "what's so funny, huh, you monster?!" she interrogates. It gives a low, malevolent chuckle, sounding vaguely similar to Pyrrha...then slowly raises it's right hand, and points towards a large, ruined skyscraper in the distance. We look at the building, then direct our attention back to it, which continues to point and grin. "What's so special about-" halfway through my sentence, the Grimm suddenly vanishes into a black smoke that disappears, not like the dematerialization of a Shadow Reaper. I sit there in stunned silence, staring off into oblivion where the Grimm once stood. The others and I are too shocked to move...just then, Yang shifts her weight on her feet, and brings her hands behind her head. I turn to her and...her eyes...it's Lilith. She moves her elbows up into the air as if to simply shrug at me, but I know what she's up to...using Yang's stunned silence to get some time to herself. She snickers "Dopplegangers, eh?" she says. "Great. Who to trust now? Seriously. Like, if they jam the feeds so that we can't hear Winter or Oz sayin' they're fake, do we just fall for it to see if they drop the guise? What if that was a younger one, and not an 'elder'? What if others or 'elders' can remain disguised, even as they attack? Do we just start murdering each other?"

"Yang!" I snap. "IF you knew your allies, then you'd know we wouldn't be attacking each other in the first place. I'm hurt, Yang, that you'd even think I'd try to attack you".

I feel powerful now, even if I'll regret it later. Lilith can't snap back the way she'd like without blowing her cover in some way, shape, or form...unless if she...no, she's...cunning, but not stupid. Lilith looks at me, then down to the left, and holds her left arm. "I'm sorry, sis...just worried" she says, lying through her teeth, but putting on a convincing show. "I...I really AM sorry, sis." she says "I'm...just a little edgy with all this new stuff in this strange place. I don't want to loose you."

"Likewise, I wouldn't like to loose Yang Xiao Long, either."

Lilith continues to put on her show, but I know she's growing angrier and angrier with me. "Such behaviors are common in a strange field of battle, it's alright" Ironwood assures us. "As for now, wait there until Team JNPR catches up. Then, head for that building. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" I say, before then our earpieces shriek again for a few seconds. I tap mine a couple times...feels like it's busted, or out-of-order again...wait...I turn towards Lilith, only to suddenly see her flying at me. She grabs me with her right hand by my neck and lifts me up, her eyes red and her hair aflame. "YOU LITTLE TWAT!" She roars. "YOU'RE SO DAMN LUCKY I DON'T SHOVE MY FIST UP YOUR CUNT RIGHT NOW!"

I'm scared, but somehow, I still keep my bravery and boldness. "Heh, thought you loved me, sis. Didn't think you'd want to hurt me, let alone kill me. So you've got a blood fetish, eh? Necrophiliac? What's next? Beastiality?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH!" She says, shaking me once. "The fuck do _you_ know anything about being a _real_ woman? Look at your damn self! These fucking tits!" she says using her free left hand to grab my chest hard, and I flinch in the pain. "Have you _even_ hit puberty yet, ya damn lolicon!?"

"Heh, you should know my body inside and out sis, like you boast all the time. Then again, as my sister..you should more actually be knowing what's going on with _me_ all the time".

"SHUT...THE FUCK...UP!" she twists her hand to the left, then lets go. "You...loose the damn bravery, capiche?! Just because we're out on a damn mission doesn't mean shit!"

"Heh...speak for yourself, sis."

Lilith growls very angrily. Suddenly, her hand flies up my skirt, and I immediately feel her hand under my...my eyes widen as she chokes me while violating me. She licks her lips in intense satisfaction, before throwing me on the ground, still choking me, and continuing to violate me, pinning me down with her weight. She's giving me some sort of sadistic grin unlike something I've seen her do before. Suddenly, Weiss pulls out her sword and points it at Lilith, assuming a battle stance "FUCK OFF, WHORE!" she roars. Lilith hisses at Weiss "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she snaps "AND YOU PUT THAT SHIT AWAY BEFORE I RAIL YOU IN THE ASS WITH THAT THING'S HANDLE!"

"Try me."

"If I can't do it out here, it'll be back at Beacon...you bitches will pay so fucking much for trying to usurp me!"

"Under this madness?! You can do more than go fuck yourself in the literal sense!"

"You'll be hanging by your ankles, bitch!"

"Heh, as I said, try me".

"You won't do it, though. Not if Yang's still locked away in here. You'd break Ruby's heart, you know?"  
she huffs angrily, her hand still moving profusely as I struggle to keep from screaming or making some sort of utterance, clenching my teeth. I've been through this a thousand times, and I'm still not used to it. Weiss growls at Lilith knowing she's right, but won't stand down. Blake also becomes aggressive "Lilith!" she orders, but Lilith snaps back quickly "Shut up, pussycat! Or your pussy's next!"

"Team JNPR's coming, remember? They aren't far behind. I'd stop this shit if I were you." Lilith eyes Blake, then myself, before pushing herself off of me and onto her feet quickly. She shoves her fingers into her mouth, then yanks them out and licks her lips. "I'm not done with _YOU_ , sis." Lilith growls. "You three be on your best damn attitude...that way I have plenty of fucking time to calm down. If I calm down, I lessen my punishment, maybe even forgive and forget, alright?"

She turns then starts walking away. Weiss and Blake are quickly on their knees and to either side of me as I sit up. With my hands on my knees, I look to the sides slightly. To Weiss on my left, then Blake on my right, before looking at Lilith as she walks away...I immediately sniffle once, before finally bursting into tears, covering my face. Blake quickly wraps her arms around me tightly...she's just as tired of this as I am. Weiss, who's also having tears flowing down her face, but holding them back well, stares angrily at Lilith. "How the fuck can you call you her sister?!" she demands. Lilith stops, then turns, as her hair extinguishes and her eyes return to normal. "Shared blood is all that matters, isn't it?"

"Genetic relations are shit." Weiss spits "It's just a natural stepping stone to help form a bond. You don't deserve her as your sister, nor do you even view her as that. You just call her tha-"

"I call her what she is, Whitey. Now do me a favor, snow princess, and shut the fuck up so I can calm down".

Blake and Weiss help me to my feet and I need their support to stand at first, with my legs so wobbly from shock. Eventually, I manage to calm back down, and i'm actually a little sick on my stomach from crying so much. Weiss gives me a drink of water, after which, I throw my arms around her in hug, one of the few she genuinely accepts and returns to me. Soon, Team JNPR rounds the street-corner. We start briefing each other on what's happened, minus the current event with Lilith, minus Lilith herself, who walks around a distance away from us, pacing back and forth.

"Winter, do you copy?" Ironwood says over Ozpin's shoulder. "Yes, General." she replies. "The interference is still to much, we're trying to patch back in to JNPR and RWBY, but we're still blocked..."

"What exactly is causing this interference?" Ozpin asks.

"Sir...the energy. It's radiating low near their location in low waves...it's bouncing-back the signals, but we'll keep trying."

"Well...at least the damn destroyer of worlds has woken up." Qrow states, noting the low energy emissions being shown on the screen where the teams have gathered. "Maybe it's excited it has company? Who knows? Maybe it's been lonely."

"Will you be quiet?" Glynda snaps, but Ozpin cuts her off from saying anything else. "Hold on" Winter suddenly says "We...we'll be able to patch into one of them for a second...Pyrrha Nikos, hold on..."

Suddenly, Pyrrha's unit goes live again, but the teams have no aware of it being on. "So, you actually had a run-in with a Shadow Reaper?" Weiss asks. Pyrrha nods "You and Ozpin were right. Polarity was enough to damage it into appearing. Once it became tangible...it wasn't much of a threat, surprisingly. They're surprisingly agile when solid, and those claws still deadly, but not so much to the degree of when they're empowering their attacks with vibrations..."

"Heh, that's something..." Ruby says. Jeanne tilts his head. "Hey...you alright? You all kind of look..shaken up. Was it really that bad? The Doppleganger?"

Weiss, Ruby, and Blake look at each other for a few moments...and then Ruby nods. "It's not that." she says. "...it's something else. You know how we told you about Blake being a faunus?"

"I'm...ok with you guys knowing, off-the-record..." Blake interrupts for a moment. Pyrrha nods "Yes...is there something else you need to tell us?"

Ruby doesn't say anything at first, but hesitates. "Heh...it's hard for the girl to describe what happened to her sister, even at her current age." Qrow says "I can't blame her. I still get pissed off when I think about that shit."  
"So...so it was Yang Xiao Long..." Glynda says, bringing her hand to her mouth. Ozpin nods slowly "I've known myself about that event for a while now...and I'm inspired by how firm they've stood throughout these hard times...sometimes it takes the darkest of events to forge the brightest and strongest of bonds."

Ruby...she's been looking down at the ground, then looks up. "...what i'm about to tell you is beyond a doubt hard to believe...and...if anybody...like Ozpin or one of the teachers finds out...I'll...I'll be fucked."

JNPR is shocked to hear Ruby use such language. Ozpin seems somewhat surprised by what's he's just heard, and then quickly taps a button on his panel "Mute your communication for now" he orders Winter, who does so. "R...Ruby, what are you saying?" Pyrrha asks. Ruby shakes her head, which slowly droops. "...do...any of you possibly recall hearing of a certain case on an island called Patch several years back?..."

"Vaguely..." Pyrrha says with a slight shudder. The other three members of her team don't seem to know. "Wait...what happened on Patch?" Jeanne asks. Pyrrha takes a hard gulp. "It...a young girl went over to her friend's house to play, like she had done several times before. Yet, this time...when she went over, her...her friend's father, in a drunken rage he...he...had his way with her." she explains, struggling for words. "Y...you mean...that" Ren says, and Pyrrha simply nods. "It...got a lot of attention, especially with the father being a faunus...no offense, Blake."

Blake gives a strange, sympathetic smile "Heh...non taken...it's fine...just fuel for the flame..."

"Why...do you ask of this?" Pyrrha asks. Ruby pauses "...because that girl was Yang."

Team JNPR gasps. "Y...Yang...Yang was that girl?" Jeanne asks, and Ruby nods. "But...Ruby." Ren says "That...that wouldn't be anything to grant you the ill will of anybody! People...especially us, we sympathize with you on that. Truly, we're sorry, but why-"

"It...it's not that. That was the trigger." Ruby says.

"T...trigger?" Jeanne asks.

Ruby looks up, tears in her eyes. "H...haven't you ever looked at my sister and noted something off?...more specifically...sometimes her eyes are darker?..."

"I...I always thought it was just the light..." Pyrrha says "but...what does that have to do with anything?"

"...shortly after all that...Yang...secretly changed. She...started acting different. She...started calling herself 'Lilith'...and...then sometimes...she'd act like Yang...and the way she'd look at me and hold onto me when she was 'Yang'...it was out of fear and desperation, as if she was cherishing sharing even the slightest of time with me...I...Yang doesn't show it, but she's got some sort of...extreme multiple personality complex...she's got another persona, Lilith Xiao Long, that's been brought up from that event."

Team JNPR is stunned silent "A...are you sure it's not just your sister's way of coping?" Ren asks wearily. "no!" Ruby snaps low "She's not in denial of it! She's there! When Lilith's around, that's when her eyes are the darker shades of lavender and red. The lighter colors- that's my sister. Yang, she...she only comes out, most often, when things have to be done that Lilith hates. Yang and Lilith share a few things in common, other than a body...a like for picking fights, acting haughty, being a flirt, freespirit...but in and of itself, Lilith hates fighting and field work. She lets Yang do that...and those are often the only times when I can see my sister again, the times when I can never speak to her."

"I...is she making this up?" Ironwood asks. Qrow's looking dead at the face of Ruby on the monitor. "...look at the face on my niece, and tell me if she's lying." he says...his tone alone is confirmation he believes every word coming out of Ruby's mouth. Ozpin is disturbed "Ruby...she's not one to lie about anything...bend rules, yes...and i'm a little for that...but...she wouldn't lie. I know your niece that much".

"R...Ruby...what...how does that do anything to your detriment other than..." Pyrrha says. She believes Ruby, but struggles to understand what she says. Ruby lowers her head. "It...It's because...Lilith...she...s..she..."

"She's a SKANK!" Weiss snaps in anger low. This draws JNPR's attention, but Ruby simply holds up her right hand, both to calm Weiss down, and re-gain attention of JNPR. Ruby brings her hands to her face, and rubs it a few times, before finally pausing, but keeping her eyes in her hands. "...when I was 8...and Yang 10...I remember playing in my room with her, while dad was downstairs. Yang...Lilith...she looked disheartened, disappointed. I asked her if she still wanted to play. She said she did, but...something else. And...and then...every year since...L...Lilith..." she takes a long sigh, then lowers her hands, and slowly raises her head...her face...it's expression can't be described, with a strange smile upon it, tears down her face. "...she's been constantly raping me".

...nobody says anything. Team JNPR stares blankly into the face of Ruby, who continues her strange smile, before giving a slight...huff, of sorts. "Heh...didn't think...heh" she sort of just shrugs, flopping her arms by her sides. "...figured. Too much to take in, too much to swallow?...heh...fuck it..."

she droops her head and shakes her head, and begins to slowly turn as if to walk away. "Ruby, wait..." Pyrrha says, and Ruby looks up at her. "Y...you're...telling the truth?"

Ruby sighs. "Look at my face. Hear my voice. Look me in the eyes: then tell me if i'm lying."

Team JNPR continues staring at Ruby...but shakes their heads. Ruby sighs again "...i know it's hard to believe...but Lilith's consistent about it...plus i'm not the only one who suffers from her...behavior."

"You're...not the only one?" Nora asks. Blake and Weiss look down, and rub the back of their heads. "W...wait...you...you two as well?!" Pyrrha stammers. Ruby laughs low once, tears in her eyes. "Y...ya know...one time when I was 11 I grew really tired of it...while we were outside playing, I jumped Lilith with a pair of scissors, only to stab Yang in the leg instead...I...I only keep going knowing that Yang's still in there being held hostage. I...we managed to convince dad Yang tripped on a branch, but when Lilith came back around...I was in deep...I still am..."

"Ruby...she really needs somebody to stand with her throughout these times." Weiss says. "And...well...though that leaves us in the path of Lilith...it just lets us sympathize with Ruby even more."  
"If Ruby suffers..." Blake says "...we suffer. Ruby can't go through this alone any more."

Team JNPR looks into the eyes of Ruby...Ruby sighs, then turns, looking towards Yang. "Hey Yang!" she calls. "What, sis?" Lilith says, turning.  
"We've got some strategy and stuff to discuss, could ya come over here a moment?"

Lilith rolls her eyes and begins walking over. Visible to all...her eyes change to a lighter shade. She stands next to her sister now, and appears ready for conversing. "...Does she hurt you?" Pyrrha asks suddenly. Yang's eyes widen "w...what do you mean?"

"Does...does Lilith hurt you?"

Yang's eyes move to her teammates and sister, a look of pure fear and rage, as if she's been betrayed. "I told them because we told them about Blake!" Ruby says "I...I just have a feeling that...they...can help, they should know".

Yang...she's shaking. She slowly lowers her head, before lifting it. "...she doesn't hurt me." she replies "It...it's just like I were watching a giant screen all the time, strapped into a chair, and unable to move...and unable to close my eyes. Unable to look away...I see everything".

"Y...yang..." Ruby utters barely.

"S...she rarely speaks to me." Yang says "but...when she does...it when she's doing things to my teammates...she taunts me. That's all she ever does. Tortures me psychologically day and night. Makes me do the heavy lifting. Forces me to watch her in action...like...earlier..."  
"...Earlier?..." Jeanne asked.

"...you remember my banter with Yang before coms gave out again, right?..." Ruby says "that was actually Lilith, and me standing up to her. She doesn't like it when her position as 'alpha' is challenged...she...like, _really_ doesn't like it. Puts her into a...'rape-state' very easily...she actually attacked me before the four of you got here".

"S...so recently?" Pyrrha asks. Ruby nods "Lilith...she doesn't really care when or where...heh, I've...gotta hand it to her though...I don't know how she hides all the shit she uses on Weiss so well..."

"W...what do you mean by that?" Jeanne asks. Weiss sighs "let's just say Lilith views violating me not as that, but rather...correcting me and training me to be a proper, young, aristocratic woman...if that makes any sense".

"T..th...this has to be a lie!" Glynda snaps angrily, obviously disturbed by what she's heard. "T-this has to be! Not here! Not at Beacon! There's no way anyth-". A sharp metal sound cuts her off in her tracks. Qrow's been leaning on Ozpin's panel...and he's crushed his flask within his hands in anger. "Ruby wouldn't lie about shit like that." he states low, but obviously very angry "anybody else maybe...but not my niece." he keeps his hands clenched tightly. "This is something so fucked up even my drunk-ass mind couldn't even come up with something like this. Why didn't you say anything, Ruby?...Why didn't you tell anyone sooner?"

"...how could she?" Ozpin says blandly. He's obviously very upset as well, but holding it very well, as if to keep the situation under control. "Her sister is being held captive. If she lashes out at the captor, the captive suffers instead. If she threatens the captor, she and her sister suffer instead. Who would naturally believe such a claim without either seeing enough of the scarce evidence, or having suffered with her? Let alone, the only ones who believe her are those that know her own persona. Ruby herself is innocent of everything...her sister as well...they're both...as well as Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Schnee... all at the mercy of an intangible third party". Just then, Qrow pushes off Ozpin's panel and starts walking towards the elevators. "Where are you going?!" Glynda demands. Crow turns "Things are getting outta hand...somebody oughtta chaperon this field trip."

"There's no way you-"

"Glynda..." Ozpin says, raising his hand, before looking at Qrow. "...For once, and no offense, I feel this is best...he might actually cause some good in addressing this situation. After all...these are his nieces we're talking about".

Qrow nods "...thanks Oz. I'll keep my eye on the show." he says, holding up his scroll for a moment, before turning and heading out the room. "...Is that really a wise move?" Glynda asks "To have him confront Y...Lilith?"

"Better than any of us." Ozpin replies "If we were to confront her...Ruby, Yang, and Lilith would get the wrong idea. Especially Lilith: she could try and play Yang and admit to everything to ruin their lives even more. Not to Qrow, though. He's somebody closer to Yang...somebody who can probably reach her in there".

Ironwood has remained silent for the most part, eyes closed, head down. He opens his eyes and looks up at the screen. "Winter, do you copy?"

Winter...she's bent over her panel, head down. She doesn't say anything at first...but she murmurs something. "Winter? Do you copy?" Ironwood asks again "Speak up!".

"I...I..." Winter stammers low, barely audible "I...I let you go to Beacon...I...sent you to Beacon because I supported...I sent you off only to be...". A single tear falls from Winter's hidden face onto the panel below. Slowly, her fingers begin curling into fists, and then she suddenly pushes off of the panel, causing quite a clamorous commotion as she begins to storm off. "WINTER!" Ironwood orders, and she turns towards him angrily. Her face is distraught, and she's barely holding back tears. "You will not go out into the field after them! Understand?"

"Excuse me, SIR?!" She demands "With all due respect, SIR, the hell can you tell me what I can and cannot do when it comes to my sister?!"

"Winter you cannot go out granted the current situation!"  
"Under what authority?!"

"Mine." Ozpin states. Winter growls in response "I don't report to YOU, sir.".

"Perhaps not, but you're not in the right state of mind for this at the moment. You are emotionally compromised...of which I can sympathize with...but, you cannot go out and confront her like this. This would only lead to the wrong objective."

"The wrong objective, sir?" Winter questions "My objective is quite clear: get my sister away from that lesbian pedophile, and send her to prison where she can rot."

"In the process, tear apart a friendship, a sisterly bond, shatter worlds, and send an innocent girl off to prison to rot alongside a guilty fiend. You've seen the evidence, Winter. That's exactly what Lilith wants."

"Then why can't I go out there?! Why does her uncle get to go out there and I can't to protect my own blood?!"

"...It's not that, Winter. Qrow is going, as of now, simply to meet up with you and the others back at base camp for now. And as to why he's doing this...what if rather than Lilith be with Yang, she was in your own sister?"

"W...what?"  
"Think for a moment. What if Lilith wasn't in Yang, but rather, Weiss? How would you act then to your own blood being the one to commit such acts, yet, at the same time, innocent, and unable to cry out for help? Do you think she'd try and confide in you? If so, what would _you_ do to your own sister, Winter?"

Winter stares into Ozpin through her monitor. She looks down, seeing her fists by her side, closes her eyes, then lets her fists uncurl. She solemnly moves back to her position near the monitors, and sits down, folding her hands together, elbows on the table, then resting her fists on her forehead. She takes a few moments to herself, then motions to a soldier beside her. "Get me something to drink." she says, to which he gets up and moves off. "There we are." Ozpin says "We cannot let our emotions influence our judgment too much".

"With all due respect, sir," Winter says, glaring up at her screen past her clenched fists "I need to break my two week dry streak".

Ozpin raises an eyebrow at this. "Well, then...alright" Ironwood replies upon hearing Winter say this "Just don't have too much."

"...Don't count on it, sir." she replies.

After a few moments, we've regained our composure. I can't believe Team JNPR...well, I wouldn't say they're OK with the situation...but to know we have their support...it means so much to me, to Yang as well. Our communicators pop for a moment, before all goes clear again. I hold my hand to my ear. "Hey, anybody picking us up again?"

"We hear you loud and clear..." Winter says, and it sounds like she's taking a drink of something at the end of her sentence. "You ok?" I ask.

"I'm fine" she replies "Just thirsty...that's all".

"What was the interference about this time?" Pyrrha asks. "The energy is radiating." Winter replies "It's radiating from the tower the Doppelganger pointed towards."

"It...it is?" I ask, as we all turn towards the tower.

"Indeed." Winter responds "head to it immediately, and proceed with caution."

We proceed towards the ominous tower. There's an ominous, dreadful air around us now as we approach the ominous, evil edifice that rises before us. Soon, we're at it's base...but without any idea of where to go now. Then, we hear what sounds to be a feminine, mischievous giggle. It takes us a moment, but then, we find the source. To our right, sitting up a little ways on the ruins...Pyrrha's Doppleganger. It dangles it's legs off the side, while resting her hands and arms on the edge it sits upon. It looks down upon is with a strange, malevolent grin. Pyrrha eyes her Doppelganger in shock at first, before growing angry. "What are you here for?" she demands. The Doppelganger taps the wall it sits upon with it's heel a few times. Below it's feet a distance down, two massive, cellar-like doors lie below. I look up at the Doppelganger "...down there?" I ask, to which it gives a slow nod. We slowly approach the cellar doors, and the Doppelganger watches us for a few moments, before standing, turning, and walking into the darkness of the ruins. Yang grabs the doors and attempts to force them open, but they're rusted shut. I look over my shoulder. "Hey, Pyrrha. You think maybe you could help Yang out?" Pyrrha nods, and attempts to use her polarity control to help Yang force the doors open. Nothing happens at first, before I then try to use Crescent Rose to try and help pry the doors open as well. This ends up being a bad idea. After about five minutes of trying to use Crescent Rose as a crowbar, it flings me straight at the wall of the ruins. I land like a bug smacked onto a wall, before sliding off. Blake runs to my aid with Yang, but I get up fine, my head only hurting a little. Weiss decides to lend a hand this time. She then starts using what looks like one of her Gravity glyphs, but instead of intensifying gravity on the door, it greatly lessens it. The door buckles a bit, trying to rip free of it's hinges, but still, nothing. Pyrrha, Yang, and Weiss still try to open the door together. Once again, with Crescent Rose in my hands, I slash once at the hinges of the doors on the right. The door buckles more. Finally, after about five more minutes of struggling, the door bursts open. The left door flies open, while the right one flies off it's hinges and into the sky. There...is immediately an ominous chill down my spine...something that terrifies me...something...very, VERY unnatural. The only thing illuminated by the light from above is the small stairway, and a slight bit of the unnaturally dark hallway itself...we hear footsteps. Soon, the face of Pyrrha's Doppelganger emerges, staring up at us. It grins, then bows slowly, and motioning behind itself...it speaks.

" _ **Welcome Home"**_

The...voice...sounds like Pyrrha's with some sort of strange, unnatural undertone. It terrifies all of us. "Welcome to YOUR home?!" Yang demands. The Doppelganger smiles, and looks up, pointing at...Yang.

" _ **Welcome to**_ _ **your**_ _ **home."'**_

Yang...is frozen solid. She doesn't know how to react to that. We look at the Doppelganger...it's as if it's waiting for us to simply walk down the stairs towards it and the darkness. "H-hey!" I say, scared, but angry. "We're not going down unless you and any of your pals down there aren't in there! Deal?!" It grins at me.

" _ **Deal...After all..."**_

"A...after all what?!" Yang snaps. The Doppelganger gives a very strange, evil look.

" _ **This has been the day that**_ _ **we**_ _ **have been waiting for."**_

W...what does it mean by that?...suddenly, there are more footsteps...and soon, next to Pyrrha's Doppelganger...one of my own image. Then, one of Weiss emerges...then Yang...Blake...Jeanne...Norra...Ren...even ones of Winter, Ironwood, Ozpin, my uncle, and ...yet even they aren't the last of them...deep in the darkness...there are more red eyes of Doppelgangers. There...is an entire army of humanoid Grimm in front of us. Pyrrha's Doppelganger starts slowly making a devilish, sharp-toothed grin...then, there's a massive howl of wind as all the Doppelgangers turn into a singular black cloud-like mass, which rushes out the doors at us. We fly backwards, landing on our backs, as the cruel howl goes on, the swirling pillar of black shooting up into the sky before dispersing...it goes on like this for at least ten seconds, before the pillar finally dissipates. "JNPR! RWBY!" Winter orders, fear in her voice "Do you read?!"

"W...we hear you, b-but..." I...i'm scared beyond all relief, shaking profusely...i'm not the only one, neither is Jeanne...each one of us, to some degree, is terrified. "T..Team RWBY is to investigate the underground chambers! Team JNPR! Set up an above-ground perimeter, understood?" Winter orders. We all acknowledge her order in some way, shape, or form. Some of us give verbal confirmation, the others just nod or the like...we're all terrified. I look at my sister and quickly hug her tightly for a moment, which she gives me a firm, re-assuring embrace in response...I let go of her slowly, then Weiss, Blake, Yang, and I approach the dark underground's entrance. I look back at Blake "T...think you can lead the way?" I ask.

"I...I'll do my best." Blake says, as she reluctantly, but surely, begins leading our descent...It's pitch-black at first...I can't see anything soon...i'm just walking in darkness. We continue down this dark hallway for a few moments, before I hear Weiss make a noise, some sort of low hum, then something grabs my arm. I almost scream, but I hear Weiss's voice "It's me!" she says. This...eases me a little. "What's up?" I ask. "Hold on..." Weiss replies...soon, I see a blast of fire...no, it's Weiss's weapon, but cloaked in flame, acting like a torch. Blake's face is illuminated by the warm, amber glow. Looking behind me, I can see Yang directly behind me. "I can't do this for long." Weiss says "But Blake wanted me to do this because...of that." she points to the right...there's a long, dark, decrepit stairwell. It goes down into the abyss, spiraling down in a square shape."Some of the railings are rusted, broken, and...well...it'll be one hell of a fall...it goes down quite a ways." Blake says. "so...I...just hold hands for now...it's not going to be easy." Weiss extinguishes her weapon, and I hold my hand back so Yang can grab my hand, and she does, holding on to me firmly. "Alright..." I hear Blake say "just...be careful. Weiss, you follow my every movement my arm's telling you, alright?"

"Y-yeah, right." she says, a little scared.

"Good. Ruby, Yang, do similarly. If we can keep things fluid, we should avoid any hazards along the way down...take your time. It'll be a while."

I hear footsteps...we're moving. Soon, I can feel Weiss's hand lifting, and I follow it as it goes through the darkness. I do my best to follow Weiss's hand exactly, and Yang follows behind me the best of her ability...it's a long, slow descent into complete darkness...after about 15 minutes of this, I feel Weiss' hand level out. "We're on flat ground again..." I hear Blake say "Hold on a sec. I...think I see something. Weiss, i'm going to let go, alright?"

"Right...y...you be safe."

"I'm only walking a couple feet ahead, I shouldn't be gone long, and you should still hear me."

I then hear what sounds to be Blake walking away...she walks about...fifty feet away, then I hear the clanking of metal, and the sound of switches, levers, and buttons being interacted with...then there's no noise for around five seconds, before the sound of something hitting metal, which startles me into a yelp. Then, there's a mechanical hum, a buzz, and then a flash of light...Blake's got the power back on...the sparse lights on the ceiling show a dark, stone hallway...with multiple smears of blood of and scratches in different locations, and an iron-bar gate that blocks further advancement. I...I'm frozen stiff. It's like some...sort of scene from a horror movie. "I...is this an old detention center?" Weiss asks, noting the iron-bar door. "Maybe..." winter says. "Just...be careful. There's got to be blood and claw marks here for a reason...you may not truly be alone down there". Yang turns to me and sees me frozen stiff, eyes wide, pupils shrunken, standing still in fear. She puts her hand on my shoulder "Hey...we'll be ok. I know you're scared: I am too. Don't worry, we'll be alright". I nod quickly at this, before then there's a noise that scares me half to death: a short, loud, siren-like noise that lasts less than a second, and then the iron door in front of us slides to the side. We advance through the door, and down the hallway...sure enough, it's an old prison or asylum of some sort, all underground. We walk into a main cell block...and I get the complete creeps. There's three whole levels here in the cell block...and every cell itself is empty. I scan the area wearily, and look into a cell...and see what looks like a note on very worn paper. Slowly, I walk into the cell, pick the paper off the floor, then walk back out into the block where my team awaits. I look down into my hands and read the tattered paper.

 _"_ _I  
The hell does she call herself our heroine for? How is she breeding monsters here, alongside him, and dares call herself our savior? Why does she support him? Why am I here? Snatched away from the playground while watching sis...why, why did she bring me here? I hear the screams, the pain, the roars of anger. How is he doing all this? I...I'm so scared...My sister...she's only seven...I can't...let them..._

 _I II III IV V VI VII VII VIII IX_

 _X_

 _Hell no, they came for sis. I tried to fight back, but the glare on her face...the faces of the...no...I...I was to scared to even show my sister i'd die trying to protect her...they dragged her away while she kicked and screamed...and I was too much of a coward to do anything. Not even to beg..._

 _XI_

 _What have they done to you Marie?How could they have turned you into...the way you look at me...you still know me. There's no love in your eyes...only hate. Y...you...I guess this is it then. Killed by my own sister...my own little twerp of a sister. Heh, mother did always favor you. Now you really get to tear me apart...just know I'll be doing my damnedest to make you feel any pain as you kill me! I'll...never understand what he and that blonde-haired bimbo of his are doing with this place...but...at least this place taught me...how much more natural I feel to be angry..."_

I stare at the paper...there's blood and claw marks on the edging towards the bottom...I look up at Yang...she's...very uncomfortable. Undoubtedly, she remembers what the Doppelganger said...and then hearing "blonde-haired bimbo" in the note...she's staring off for a moment, then shakes her head. "It...it's just some sort of sick shit pulled by a Grimm." Yang dismisses angrily "That's all...sick shit by a sick creature".

Yang refuses to hear me say anything to try and disprove her own theory...with that barrier made, we decide to explore the catacombs of the old detention center...whatever was going on...people were getting tortured here, from what we can tell. Every time we approach a new metal door, there's the same beep, and the door opens itself, never to shut again...I'm...very creeped out, but I keep going. We must be getting closer sooner or later. Finally, we make it to another set of stairs, a more direct flight. It goes down about 50 ft to another level. We take the stairwell down, and walk down this lowest floor...the hallway goes in an L shape, turning off to the right up ahead. To the left, what appears to be a large, glass window 15 ft in length...with dried blood staining from the inside. I...try my hardest not to look. I pass by the window and look down the hall...it ends after going only fifteen feet or so, the rest of the hallway haven collapsed in. Weiss casually, but reluctantly, turns her head towards the bloody glass...then takes a step back in a gasp. I...turn towards the window...it's largely covered in blood...but...at a few locations...I can see through, making out slight bits of the room...and I see a girl with pale brown hair inside. She seems my age, and wears a blue sleeveless shirt with blue jeans...she's strapped to a table with her arms and legs outstretched in an X-position...It's the first dead body I've seen...and...I don't like it...wa..wait...I...i think my eyes decieve me at first, but...no! Her...her chest is moving. "Sh...she's alive?!" I say dumbfounded and terrified. "Get her out of there, now!" Winter orders. We rush to the door to try and open it...nothing. Yang then puts her full weight into busting down the door, and the metal door rips off it's handles onto the floor. We storm into the room, me leading the way a-...

…...

...w...what...what the...

Thh...there are metal debris littering the dusty floor...in the center of the room, a large table, to which the girl is bound to with metal shackles of a strange material...and on the table...the scorched pattern of what appears to be a pentagram or something similar...and...her...feet are towards the door and window...and...directly to her left...our right...there's writing on the wall...in blood.

" _ **DON'T WAKE HER"**_

I...i...I'm too scared to move, no matter how hard I try. I can't move...The other three move slowly to spread out through the room...forcing me to move as well...I...slowly move towards the front of the girl...I...i look at her face...her appearance...her hair...and...it...I slowly look up "Y...Yang...d...doesn't she...look like you? Vaguely?"

Yang looks at the girl with a strange face...a mixture of fear and anger. "Y...yeah...s...she does." Yang says "Vaguely...sorta...kinda..."

"Hey!" Winter orders. She's also distraught, but trying to keep composure. "Free her!"  
"Huh?!" I ask. "B-but there's writing on the wall in blood and she's-"

"We can see she's alive, and our readings are saying...she's the source of the energy." Winter says. N...none of us say anything as that sentence sinks in. "RWBY!" she orders "You four will do as your told! Free her!"

Instinctively, each one of us goes for a separate shackle to try and break it free. Pulling and banging first...it does nothing. Hell, it doesn't even wake her. Yang's getting angry quickly. Soon, she goes from slamming and trying to pry open the shackle violently to punching it over and over again, trying to break it, but to no avail. I put my arm in front of my sister and pull her back, to which she uses the opportunity to calm down a little. "We can't open them." I state "Attacking could cause her physical harm, and even...even Yang can't break them open...I...would like to request a few moments to try and understand the situation."

"Fine." Ironwood states "About five minutes at the least."

I look at Weiss...she's visibly shaken...we all are...but...we...take a slow, reluctant search around the room. Blake starts searching clutter-filled drawers near where she stands...but there's nothing but trash in them. Weiss starts examining the floor...probably to keep from looking up...Yang...she...does a mixture of everything...she's...very emotionally compromised right now from everything. I turn...behind me, the writing in blood on the wall. Just below it, another desk with drawers...but...there's a book on top of this one. An old, leather-bound book with worn pages...bloody, worn pages. Scratched into the leather top is _**"**_ _ **READ ME NOW"**_. The scratching on the leather top is frantic, as if the writer etched in every single fervor of itself to try and get you to read the book. I slowly pick the book up in my hands. "H...hey." I said "Look...look what I found."

"We'll have you read it later." Ironwood says "for now, report back outside immediately until a strategy can be made about the current situation." We hastily agree towards this, and begin quickly moving out the door. First Yang, then Weiss, Blake, then myself – or not. Right as I go to try and leave the room, a strange wall of energy materializes and bounces me right back into the room, and I land on my back. Blake, Weiss, and Yang quickly gather at the door and look on. I...somehow...I get the stupid idea to try and throw the book at them, through the door. They dodge out of the way of the incoming book, but once again, the energy materializes, and it bounces the book back into the room, at my feet. I...i'm so scared I fly out of the room, unimpeded this time, into my sister and start crying. Yang holds me tightly...she knows how scared I am. "Hey, hey..." she says "You weren't this scared with the Shadow Reapers, and especially not the Elder Tyrant. Why are you so scared here?..."  
"B...because I just am!" I cry. Yang rubs my head "Come now, you're our leader. We can't have you acting like this...stop crying, please. I know you're younger than us, but...sometimes you act more mature than us as well...especially me. You...you're the bravest person I know, Ruby...so...be strong for me with this, ok?"

Y...Yang...calling me the...s...she would know, wouldn't she?...I...I get some sort of courage unlike even what I had to stand up to Lilith...and my tears dry. I look at my sister and nod. My sister views me so highly...I'll make sure she views me like this every time she sees me...brave...the bravest person she knows...because...I...i've already been through the worst...with Lilith. Ozpin comes over the communicators. "I...guess we're in a bit of a situation, then..." he says. "We've got nothing else to do, Team RWBY...read the book."

R...read the book...we're told to read the book...In resolve, I turn around, and walk back into the room, and pick the book off the ground. The others enter the room with me again. I turn towards them with...some sort of strange resolve...and open the book slowly, reading aloud, the frantic, but legible writing.

 _"_ _If you have this in your hands, and are indeed reading this...then this place has indeed survived across time itself. Please, hear me as I explain...this...is all hard to believe, but you're probably wondering who wrote this...granted how situations will play out, most likely...you know me. My name is...Ruby Rose."_

I...i'm frozen. M...me? I...I wrote this? I look down into the writings of the book...the writing...it...indeed, does...look like mine, vaguely, and faded...I...i'm shaking again, but I keep reading.

 _"_ _No, this isn't your imagination, and this isn't a cruel joke. I am Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY, friend to Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna, half-sister to Yang Xiao Long. Using this book, I speak to you from across time and space itself to warn you of what you see now. You're probably wondering who this girl on the table is...Yang, you're there, aren't you, sis?...Her name is Celeste. She's my niece...your daughter."_

I...look up again...the stunned silence of all...is only coupled with the strange, terrified look from Yang. S..she...this...this girl...is Yang's daughter...and my niece?...I look at the unconscious girl...before slowly reading the book aloud again.

 _"_ _Yes, Celeste Xiao Long, your daughter. I, as have stated, am from the past. No, not some sort of strange time travel...i'm still 15 here. I am of a past run. 'Past run' you ask?...Remnant is the name of the world we live in, the name we gave it...but Remnant is not all to our world. The entirety of our world...Remnant included...makes up the dimension known as Epsylan. We're not the only dimension in existence...but i'll get to that later. What you need to know: a dimension only lasts so long. Once it reaches an ending point, after so many great years, the dimension breaks down and restarts. Each time, there are subtle changes to the plot. Maybe now you know what I mean by 'past run': I am from a past Remnant which no longer exists..._ _I_ _no longer exist. I...I beg you, future hunters and huntresses of Epsylan: no matter how hard this story may be to hear, please, continue to hear on. This story...as...strange as it is...as impossible as it is...it is the truth. Please, I beg of you...hear my story. Hear_ _your_ _story...and prevent what's been set in motion by the past to destroy the future...and yourselves."_


	4. 86, Part 1

"The Path to Destruction"

I'm thankful we have a break between first and second semester. Gives us time to relax and ease our minds. After everything I've seen...and been through...heh, yeah, I need one. I figured I'd be stuck alone on my first day out of school, like I was going into school...but, surprisingly, Weiss, Blake, and Yang agreed to hang out together today...I hardly could contain my excitement upon hearing this! Y-yet...i know they probably have things they want to do in their own time, so...I..can't be too...ugh, why is it that even with people I consider my friends, my social skills are...well...awkward. Some time after lunch, we headed to a dust shop I frequently hang out in. I remember sitting off to the corner with my headphones on, reading a magazine. Yang had fallen asleep with the magazine she was reading on her face. Blake's brought a book of her own to read, and Weiss has started browsing on her scroll. Next I hear is some sort of commotion, vaguely...but the others hear it easily. I pull my headphones down of f my head as the others have stopped what they've doing. We stand and slowly turn towards the front, only to see a man in a black suit with some sort of gun pointed at us. "Alright, give up your goods, no funny business!" he says. We look at each other for a moment, then turn towards the man, various looks on our faces. Yang's got a smug look on her face "So, let me get this straight...you...actually want to hold up and rob a group of pretty girls?"

The man gives an annoyed huff or sigh. "YES." he replies an annoyed tone. Yang nods "Ahh...ok then!"

In the next second, Yang's hit him with a sudden haymaker to the face, sending him flying back towards the front of the store. God, what's with me and dust shops recently?! W-wait...is it possible...Sure enough, we're dashing towards the front when I hear a familiar voice. "Oh come on! What's going on?!" it complains. Sure enough...my eyes lock on Roman Torchwick. He sees us too, and gives an annoyed growl "Red? Kitty cat and company? We have _got_ to stop meeting like this...people are gonna talk."

"Shut it!" Blake says angry, with a look on her face that just screams how much she wants to tear him apart. "Why do you need so much dust?!"

"Sorry kitty cat," Torchwick says brushing the brim of his hat "but, alas, that's club members only...ya know, if ya stayed on your old route, you'd be in cohoots with me and your old friend. You'd like what we've got planned, if I say so myself."

Blake's too furious to speak, she takes a step forwards, but Torchwick gives a whistle. One of his goons suddenly holds a gun to the back of the shopkeeper's head. "Now, knowing how you little...'heroes' are so eager to give up your lives for the cause...let's just say yours isn't at stake here. You...do anything in the slightest, and this man suffers first, from _your actions_ , before you have even a chance, alright?" We're frozen in position, with several guns pointed at us as well. The shopkeep has his eyes directly at us, with a look praying for forgiveness, yet rescue, yet pleading for us not to move. If we do any aggressive or suspicious action, the man will die. Torchwick's in complete satisfaction from this, as his men continue to rob the shop. I don't know what to think or do, other than the fact I don't like this. Torchwick laughs "ah, I do love being on the more interesting side of things...the winning side, after all." He turns around to some of his henchmen "Alright boys! Let's wrap it up!...maybe we take these four with us, hmm?"

"Don't even try that!" I snap, but Torchwick waves his finger. "Na-uh-uh! You don't do as I say...this old man gets it!" he says, pointing back to the terrified shopkeeper. Torchwick grins at me "come on now, Red. You've got to learn that there's a difference between fairy tails and the real world...the real world is cruel, Red. There's not going to be some sort of valiant hero to come in and save the day...and besides, there's no way in hell you've got any kind of handsome, valiant night to come in and help you in this little predicament, either-"

Just then, a sound that catches him off-guard. It's the sound of the bell on the door every time it opens or closes. All of us within the shop turn towards the front door. Sure enough, somebody's walked into the shop. A darker-skinned young man, probably 18 years or so. He has dark mahogany-colored hair that partially drapes over his face in bangs, with slightly longer hair in the back, and a beard along his jawbone of the same colored hair. Barely visible on his skin, three red markings vaguely resembling slash-marks, very small, on the cheeks of his face. On his left cheek, there's a scar of some sort, definitely a slash that's healed up, but left an eternal reminder. He has thin, black-rimmed glasses, and his eyes are a dark hazel...well, his left eye is. His right eye is a strange, very light violet-purple color. He wears a black polo with a folded collar, the outer edge of the collar having a purple trim, which matches his purple necktie. Over this, he wears a dark brown suit-jacket and matching pants, with matching shoes. Atop his head, a black-and-purple fedora. On his back is some sort of purple-and-black jar, and in his right hand, which holds open the door, a mechanical-looking cane with an emerald gem at the top. He has walked in as if he's been here before casually, which he probably has, his head bent down into the open book in his left hand, completely engrossed in it. He then notices the strange silence after a second, and looks up. He scans the area for a moment. "Oh my..." he says with a strange accent. "I...I haven't walked right into the middle of a robbery in progress, have I?"

"heh, sorry, pal, but you don't seem to be as smart as you look." Torchwick says. The man looks Torchwick in the eyes "Oh? Not quite, I was distracted by this book...it is a simply _riveting_ read!"

"Ah...right...gotta say though, chap, not a bad outfit...although...kinda cramping on my style." Torchwick says, pointing at the man with his cane. The man looks at himself, gives a slight chuckle, and closes his book with his one hand. "Ah, well, thank you. You are that renowned Sir Roman Torchwick, correct?" he says, motioning with his book at Roman. Roman smirks "Renowned indeed...and I could get used to being called Sir."

"Quite? And, about what you said. I sometimes like to say," the new man says, opening his suit jacket with his right hand, and putting away his book with his left "That 'Swag is for boys, and class is for men'. I do believe you'd agree with me, Sir Torchwick?"

"Hah, not far off on that, buddy. But sweet-talking your way out of this isn't an option."

"I wasn't thinking it was. At least..., it was on your behalf."

"What was that, pal? I didn't catch that."

"My good sir. I'm simply say I wish to avoid conflict, so I suggest you and your fellow gentlemen return everything you've stolen, release this hard-working young man, as well as these gorgeous young women, and leave peacefully without issue."

I..don't know what to make of this newcomer, but...it appears he's out of his mind...yet..at the same time...there's just something about him. Torchwick laughs "or what? You'll stop me?"

"I'm afraid so." the newcomer says. Torchwick laughs again "I like you. What's your name, pal?"

"Ramone Aligard." Ramone states firmly, but still in a gentlemanly charm. I...will admit, there is something attractive about him. Torchwick tilts his head "or what? What'll you do?"

"Stop you, of course. As I would assume these young huntresses were trying to do." he says, motioning to us briefly. "Yet, If I must intervene with violence, I will...and as to how...well, I hate to use profanity, but...what do the hoodlums of nowadays say?..." He looks down for a moment, holding the brim of his fedora, then looks back up. "Oh, right...'bust a cap in yo ass'."

"Man, such vile words from somebody I thought was a gentleman." Torchwick taunts. "And feel free to try."

"Well, sometimes the straight-out word of 'idiot' doesn't do justice."

Torchwick seems irritated by this. "Whatever." he holds up his free hand and snaps his fingers. The man holding the gun to the shopkeeper's head suddenly attempts to pull the trigger. I expect copious amounts of blood in any moment, but suddenly, the gun is yanked out of his hands by an invisible force and into the open hand of Ramone, who turns it on Torchwick. Ramone's lighter colored eye is glowing. "Ah...clever trick." Torchwick replies "just a couple things..." he holds up his cane, the scope of which flicks up, and practically every goon in the shop points his gun at Ramone. "I've got more...and mine's bigger."

I hear multiple gunshots, some of which came from guns pointed at us. Yet there's no impacts, yet the glass inside the shop shatters...Ramone's eye glows more now, as he raises his staff, and pushes a button on the side. The staff extends into a longer version of itself to be used as a weapon, and the emerald on the end begins to glow with a strange light, as a glyph-ridden blade of energy soon emerges from it, turning his staff into a glaive of sorts. Suddenly there's a flurry of motion as henchmen rush Ramone, who fights them off with ease, throwing each one of them out through the broken windows of the shop. This give us time to strike back against those near us as well. Next I know, I can see Roman and Ramone dueling in front of the shop. Ramone is lightning fast, as fast as, if not faster, than maybe even Blake or myself. Roman can barely keep up with him. The cap on the jar on Ramone's back opens, and a strange light violet dust, like what matches his eye, floats out of it. Suddenly, it forms two clouds over his shoulders, of which form into what appear to be the clawed arms of an Ursa. The two arms begin to attack Roman alongside Ramone, which ends up being an impressive show. Roman can't keep up with Ramone's attacking. Just as my team and I send the last of the goons out the windows, Roman's not fairing well in his fight to say the least, taking several hits from Ramone: BIG hits. "I do believe, Sir Torchwick, you've overstayed your welcome." Ramone states "Allow me to show you the door, my good sir!" immediately, one of the claws knocks Roman into Ramone's attack, a sliding strike with the pole of the staff which sends Roman flying out into the darker streets. Roman quickly gets up "Damn, somebody cramps my style, and now...this?! Guh, I better get slack for this bull..." he turns and quickly flees the area. We go to run out...but are stopped upon seeing Ramone. He lifts his staff, which shrinks back into it's normal cane form, and places both his hands atop the emerald on the top end, placing his cane's tip firmly into the ground, as the strange claws of energy float back into the vessel on his back. His eye glows with a strange light again, as the shop around us begins to fix itself back into pristine condition, as if nothing had ever happened. We sheathe our weapons and look at Ramone, who turns to the shop's owner. "I do hope you're alright, friend?" Ramone asks, to which the man nods and thanks him. "Ah, it's nothing. I came in town to pick up that package you ordered for me. Did it come in?" The man nods, then begins to run into the back to get it. Ramone smiles, tapping the floor twice with his cane. There...really is something about him, in a charming, handsome way, but...I...he's older than me, and the others are more his age...not like i'd have a shot with him. Just then, he turns, remembering we were there. I see the looks on the other girls' faces...they're...also realizing how much of a gentleman he is...i'll just put it as that. He walks over with a smile "Hello you four." He says. "I would assume the four of you are young huntresses in training over in Beacon, correct?"

"A-actually-" I say, but Weiss suddenly pushes up front. "Yes, we are!" she says in a high-and-mighty tone, stealing the spotlight from me and the rest of our team. "They're my team-mates, and we're Team RWBY!"

"Team RWBY, hm? And by my stars, aren't you Weiss Schnee?"

"The one and only!" Weiss says, putting her hands on her hips, trying to act all fancy and important, as if to impress Ramone. Ramone smiles, putting his hand out "Well, Ms. Schnee, it is a _pleasure_ to finally meet you in person, I've heard so much about you!" he says, and Weiss eagerly shakes his hand. I give a disappointed sigh. Knowing me and new people...and then the fact of boys or guys...I...he probably won't even... "Now, who's this young lady, hmm?" he says, turning and taking a step towards me. I try to speak, but Weiss takes a step towards me, leaning in to me. "Her name's Ruby Rose, youngest member and our team Leader." she quickly says. Ramone holds up his right hand, left hand on the cane still. "Now now Ms. Schnee, I love the fact you are sociable and excitable, but please, I do believe that your team-mates should be able to speak for themselves, hm?"

"Totally, sorry!" She says, quickly stepping out of the way, but secretly shooting me an angry look of "Don't screw this up, Ruby!", as if a failed impression of me would hurt her chances with Ramone. "So, Ruby Rose, hmm?" Ramone says, stretching out his hand. I carefully take it and shake it.

"Y...yeah. That's me! Hi!"

"Hmm? Nervous, are we?"

"Y...yeah...sorry!"

"Don't worry, you're not the first person I've met who's shy around new people. Ms. Rose, I firmly believe that sometimes, in order to quell the situation of a first meeting, I do give a gift to a new acquaintance. Tell me, you're a young lady. Do you like sweets?"

"Y...yeah. I do!"

"Very well, Here then." He lifts his cane up, grabbing it again by the bottom fourth, and something appears up on the top of his cane, on the emerald. He balances his cane on the palm of his hand for a few seconds, then catches his cane directly halfway down the staff, pointing the object at the end of his staff at me. It...seems to be a...oh my god...is...that a chocolate-covered strawberry?! With icing around it?! I quickly snatch the strawberry off his cane and pop the whole thing into my mouth. Ramone laughs "My, you do seem to enjoy sweets after all. That was a recipe I learned from a good friend. Well?"  
I swallow the strawberry "Really, really good!" I say in a much happier tone. Ramone chuckles "Good. You seem younger than your teammates. Is that true?"

"Yeah! Two years younger! I was let into Beacon early and because of...well...my skills. Not that i-"

"I know, not trying to boast. I saw your skill with that scythe. Quite remarkable. You'll go far, Ms. Rose. It takes a lot of responsibility and character to lead a team...and I think you've got that already."

"Thank you!"

"It's nothing at all." He says winking, before suddenly pulling out another strawberry and giving it a careful hit with the top of his cane my direction, I catch it and start devouring the delicious thing. He turns to Blake next "And you, young miss?" he says, stretching his hand. Blake's a little red, and quieter than usual "Blake" she says "Blake Belladonna."

"Ah, wonderful name. I have a feeling you match the flower you're named after."

"Heh, maybe. First time anybody's compared me to a flower, I guess."

"Ah, it's an easy comparison to me. Although, you look like a well-read woman, am I correct?"

"Yes, you're...not far off on that."

"Tell me. Have you been wanting to read _The Legacy of the Twinbound?_ "

"Yes, actually." Blake says a little warmer "But...I haven't been able to find a copy anywhere, sadly."

"Ah, well, I can say from what I've been reading it is simply _riveting!"_ Ramone says, reaching into the interior right of his suit, and pulling out the book from earlier, removing a bookmark from it. "In my mind, a good friend is like a good book: chosen and hard to come by. Here, take it."

"B-but it-"

"Now now, Ms. Belladonna, I have another copy back home I managed to acquire. In my mind, I shouldn't horde such a good and rare book, but share it instead."

"Thank you..." Blake says, taking the book with a smile. Finally, Ramone turns to Yang...he looks directly into her eyes. "Oh my stars..." he says, turning and walking over to Yang. "And, your name, my dear?"

"Y...Yang." She says, stuttering. I'm...surprised my sister isn't her usual flamboyant self. "Yang Xiao Long."

"Yang Xiao Long...such a beautiful name for such a beautiful young woman. I was fairly confident that my current encounter with Roman would make my evening...but it appears meeting you has done that instead." He reaches to grab is fedora, flipping it off his head, holding it by it's top. He reaches in with his other hand and pulls out a brilliant violet rose. "A rose by any other name, just as sweet, to match such beautiful eyes." he says, handing her the rose, which she slowly takes. "T...thank you." Yang says taking the rose from him, and sniffing the fragrant aroma once. "I truly do mean it about your eyes." Ramone says "More beautiful than any gemstone nor gem of dust I've seen in my lifetime".

"Thank you...but...you know I think Ruby's got the same eyes, right? After all, we are sisters."

I'm surprised Yang suddenly threw me on the spotlight like that. Ramone turns to me with a look of shock, staring into my eyes a moment, before looking at Yang. "My stars...I finally see it! No wonder you two look vaguely familiar! I am quite dull, it seems. You really are sisters?"

"Half-sisters," I say "But with the way Yang and I get along...there's no place for the 'half' part."

Ramone smiles at me, and turns that smiling face towards Yang. "Such a kinship truly must be made from such a kind and beautiful person as yourself. A charming young lady, such as yourself, would truly have such a bond with her sister, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"I fear I may not be seeing the real you. Please, be true to me as you would be to your friends. I wish to see the vibrant personality which burns within you."

"Oh trust me, it's vibrant...and boy, does it burn."

I'm smiling at Yang, and Blake is too. I'm really happy for my sister...Weiss, on the other hand, isn't. She stands to my right, Blake on my left, with her arms crossed, and leaning on her left leg, a sarcastic, jealous look being shot at Ramone and Yang. "Why does _she_ suddenly seem so interesting?!" Weiss complains low "I swore I had him wrapped around my little finger!"

"Aww, Weiss be jelly?" I say teasing, to which she turns to me. Blake chuckles, before chiming in"And as to who has who...I think Ramone's got Yang wrapped around his little finger, and vice versa."

"Oh please!" Weiss huffs. "It's just Yang's pretty face and that loose outfit! She fits such a stereotype!"

Immediately, my face falls and is replaced with an angry one. Blake's is too. "HEY!" I snap low "Don't talk about my sister like that, Weiss! To do that in front of my face! You really _do_ have quite the nerve!"

Weiss scoffs, putting her hands on her hips. "Well Sor-ry if I can see the obvious!"

"The obvious is that you're just upset Ramone isn't being all romantic with _you_!"

Weiss scoffs again, before shoving me. I loose my balance and trip over my own heel, beginning to fall backwards. Suddenly, something catches my back, stopping my fall. I turn to see Ramone, having leaned my direction, using his cane to catch me, surprisingly. "Are you alright, Ruby?" he says, looking me in my eyes. I nod "Yes, thank you." He smiles, helping me back onto my feet, and tossing me yet another strawberry, before turning to Weiss "Now, Ms. Schnee, I would not expect _jealousy_ to be a characteristic trait of you, such a proper young lady, my dear."

Weiss...gives a strange smile. It's a mixture of admitting fault, asking for forgiveness, and similar. She puts her hands behind her back and takes a step back, putting her feet together, as if digressing to him. I...I think Weiss just learned a life lesson from Ramone there in a single act. Ramone turns back around to Yang, who's smiling and laughing in this whole conversation. Soon, the shopkeeper comes back to the counter. "Ah, I musn't keep the man waiting, Yang. Unfortunately, I also have other things to attend to, today. Are there other ways I can keep in contact with you?"

"Oh, boy are there." Yang says smiling. Ramone takes a small notepad and pen out of his front suit jacket pocket. "Well then," he says, flipping to an empty page. "I'm all ears. What are they?"  
Yang starts going off as quick as she can happily about all the different ways she can be contacted. Ramone is pleasantly shocked with all the ways he can reach Yang, but diligently writes them down, smiling. Phone numbers...emails...social media sites and programs...game system usernames...the whole shabang. Finally, after around a full half minute of conversing, Yang stops. Ramone flips through his pad "Alright, that makes...fifty-three different ways I can reach you, Yang Xiao Long." He flips his notepad closed, then clicks his pen, and tucks them both away "I will use as much of this pool of resources as I can to reach you, my dear."

"Hah, good...can't wait for it."

"Neither can I, Yang." He takes her left hand, and kisses the top of it. "It has been an absolute joy and honor to meet you, Yang." he says. Yang's heart has probably skipped several beats.

"Heh...trust me, it's been the same."

Ramone turns towards us "It's been marvelous to meet you all as well. I look forward to getting to know all of you better, as well. It's been marvelous to have your acquaintance."

He takes a step back, takes his hat off, and bows, before turning around, picking up his package, and walking out the door. I turn to Yang with a smile, who returns one to me. She's got the rose from Ramone in her right hand, and still holds out her left hand, looking at the top of it. "Are you ever going to wash that, sis?" I ask. Yang shakes her head quickly, a big smile on her face "Nope. No way, nuh-uh. NEVER!"

"Hah, I'm happy for you sis."

"Me too." Blake says.

"Me as well." Weiss says, to which we turn to her. I'm still a little angry at Weiss. "You as well?" I ask. Weiss rubs the back of her head. "It's just...I...I need to stop being a Schnee." She says "Which...explains why I don't think I'd be in a relationship with anybody...knowing...how...I can...er...am. Heh..."

"It's a learning process, Weiss." I say with a smile. "Now, where do we go next?"

"No clue." Yang says, putting the rose behind her right ear. "Let's...just go where fate takes us."

With that, we agree and walk out of the shop.

The months go by, and sure enough, Yang and Ramone are in constant contact with each other throughout a variety of mediums. Sometimes we even meet him in person again. He really is a kind, sweet character. One time, he even surprised Yang and I by showing up at our home on Patch. Best part? Our dad _really, REALLY_ likes Ramone: I actually heard my dad pull Ramone aside one time and tell him that "You're the exact kind of young man i'd want Yang to be in a relationship with."- and to be honest, I am too. Ramone's really nice to everybody, he gets along great with people, and he really cares for Yang...and vice versa. My sister's opened up a lot to Ramone, so he's been able to see Yang for who she really is: and I don't think he minds at all. Ramone seems to greatly enjoy Yang's outspoken personality, and seems to be the one to add in the subtle jabs alongside Yang, if that makes any sense. Those two, although they seem like polar opposites...they're the perfect match. When we were getting ready for the next semester, Yang got really, _REALLY_ excited: hearing that Ramone had applied for Beacon...having seen him fight the few times I have, like when he'd practice with Yang, and back at the shop...he's definitely a shoe-in! Speaking of Beacon...Yeah...heh...What? Oh, I'm talking about the food fight with Team JNPR. Yeah, we've just finished that, Ozpin and Goodwitch are gone, and everybody's now just kinda...all happy together now. I really like moments like this: simply looking at only one other person is enough to re-kindle a spark of a smile or laughter...or both. It's by now we hear the doors of the cafeteria open again, and a familiar voice. "Good heavens?! What on earth happened in here?!" We turn, and...yes! It's him! "Ramone!" Yang calls as he steps in fully, and immediately, his eyes are drawn to her. "Good night! What on earth?!Yang?! What happened?!"

"The most amazing food fight you'll never be a part of." Yang says, grinning ear to ear. Ramone quickly scans over all of us. "S...So I see..." He says, then turning to Yang. "But, knowing you, my dear...I wouldn't expect you to ever turn out to be such a _dirty_ girl."

...Did Ramone just flirt with Yang in front of all of us?...The answer? YEP, he does that ALOT...they do that to each other _ALOT_. Yang just grins ear to ear, crossing her arms. "Heh, thought you knew that about me by now, darlin'." She says.

"You never could keep your nose out of something like this, could you?"

"Nope."

"So this is your friend you told us about?" Pyrrha asks, and Yang nods "Yep. That's my bae. His name's Ramone."

"Ramone Aligard, at your service!" he says, tipping his hat to us. "As a pleasure it is to see Team RWBY again...i assume you four are Team JNPR?"

"Yeah, that's us!" Jeanne says. "Yang wasn't too off when she said you just _look_ impressive."

"Ah, thank you Sir Jeanne. I've heard good things about you four as well. Honor to meet you all!"

Yang's grinning again "Well? You can't be here just to come say hey. Well? You get in?" Ramone sighs, and gives a shrug "Want can I say? I think there's a thing between knowledgeable men with good canes." Yang's face immediately lights up and she shrieks in joy, dashing over to him and throwing herself onto him. Ramone barely is able to stable himself using his cane. "Yang Xiao Long! I _JUST_ had this suit cleaned!"

"Ey, i'm a dirty girl. Get used to getting dirty." She then leans her face in close to him "So when we get married...You _BETTER_ take regular showers."

"Quite..." Ramone says, struggling forwards with Yang still wrapped around him. Yang seriously won't let go of Ramone...she's grabbed on like some sort of leech of love. "So, Ramone." I ask. "How have you been, recently?"

"Quite well, Ms. Rose!" he says with a nod. "Applying to Beacon was simple enough, and I looked forward to communicating with your sister as often as I could. Now, I can't tell if being in the same school with her is going to be either a glorious blessing...or a malevolent curse."

"Oh trust me bae, it's gonna be both." Yang says, before planting a massive kiss on the side of Ramone's face. Ramone shakes his head "Now now, dear. Please get off of me, my legs and cane can only do so much."

"Nope."

"Ms. Xiao Long!"

"I will only answer to 'Future Mrs. Aligard'!"

"Never!"

"I'm hurt!"

"Quiet, you! Off, fiend!" Ramone says, lifting his cane up and using it to try and pry off Yang, both of them smiling and laughing at this moment. To be honest, everybody in the whole room is laughing and smiling from this. Eventually, Yang also grabs a hold of Ramone's cane, and Ramone ends up having to pry that from her grasp. Once he does, he bonks Yang atop the head with the emerald-capped end. This causes her to let go, and she falls to the floor in a dizzied slump. Ramone shakes his head and sighs "Young woman's so drop dead gorgeous she knocks herself out..." he says. Blake eyes him "Oh? That wasn't you?"

"Ms. Belladonna i'd never hit a woman!" He says with a jesting tone "And to be accused by somebody like you! I'm hurt!"

"Spousal abuse!" Yang says,raising her right arm and waving it wildly in the air "Spousal abuse! Bae bonked me!"

"Welp." Ramone says, looking off to the side, and everybody laughs. Yang slowly stands to her feet, and Pyrrha looks at me "Are they always like this, together?" she asks. I nod back "Yup." I reply "I'm happy they get along so well."

"What can I say?" Yang said "Bae is bae."

"Quite." Remone responds "There's no other greater bond than two life partners...except for one."

"What's that, Ramone?" Yang asks. Ramone smiles, and points to...me. "I've heard over the years that sometimes, the person you love the most is already related to you. I knew Yang and I would get along fine not because of just appearance or personality...but the bond she shares with you, Ms. Rose. That's the strongest bond I've ever seen in my life... _that_ was what told me Yang and I would get along. Yang's told me, and shown me, how much she cares for you. I truly mean this when I say how pleased and honored I am that you and your father allow me to court Yang, and think so highly of me."

"Heh..." I say with a smile "What can I say? You're her ideal match: and I'm _really_ happy dad thinks soo too. You'll take great care of her."

"Of course he will." Yang says, leaping up and bear-hugging onto Ramone again. "Bae will be best at taking care of me."

"Come now, Yang." Ramone says "It's not like I'm going to be able to be _right_ there next to you _all the time._ "

"Bae! But what if I get hurt?!" Yang says, making puppy-dog eyes. "What if I get weally sick?! Whut if somebody wops my arm off? What if I bweak my weg?!"

"If such a thing were to happen, especially the latter two, then i'd probably feel guilty, and never leave your side."

"Dat's my bae!" Yang says smiling, to which Ramone replies "Then what I myself get hurt, hmm?"

Yang hugs tightly onto Ramone "Then I'll be the best Wife-beside-nurse EVER! And trust me...I _KNOW_ how to cuddle good."

"Ohhhh boy..." Ramone says, and we all burst into laughter. "You two really do get along well. That's great to see." Ren says. Nora smiles "Yeah! As a matter of fact...I think Ramone's the _YIN to your YANG_ , Right?!"

...everybody's dead quiet. That...was just...no. Yang and Ramone especially are shooting certain looks of "no, just no." at Nora, who just stands there, waiting for some sort of good reaction. Ramone just starts clapping very, very slowly. Nora continues to stand there, until suddenly, out of the blue, Yang just punches her out of annoyance, sending her collapsing onto the floor. At this, Ramone's face changes a little, and he claps a little faster, giving a few nods "Bravo on that one." he says "I think that was one of your best yet."

"Really?" Yang says, turning. "Like, how best?"

"Hmm...top 20."

"20?..." Yang whines "...What about specifics?"

"Psshhh...meh, I'd say 16th."

"Really?..."

"Trust me, the one you did to that one meathead on the beach was priceless."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." I say "Yang...how you didn't kill him...I don't know."

"Well...I don't know either. But...with what _he_ said to me...yeah..."

"What he said to you?..." Weiss asks. Yang pauses a moment "...Don't take this the wrong way, Weiss...but let's just say why you thought Ramone was into me, this guy was."

"Ohh..." she says "Yeah...sorry about that, ya know...calling you that."

"All good, jealous princess." Yang says with a wink. Blake tilts her head "Wait, what?"

"Well..." Yang says "The guy was goin' on about this and that which I don't want to say in front of Ruby or a few others here...but, in the end?" Yang holds up her left index finger and starts waving it around in the air like it were a magic wand "I'm all like: Bippity, boppity, _**NO KIDS FOR YOU!**_ " the last bit she says suddenly in a quick, brutal, and savage voice, and suddenly doing an uppercut into the air with the same fist that was her "magic wand". We all burst into laughter, and I hear an "Oooouch..." from Jeanne. Yang laughs upon hearing Jeanne's response "Yeah. A little harder, and they probably would have come out his mouth."

"Ew, gross..." I say with a little shudder in a quick voice, and Yang laughs. Pyrrha smiles "So, Ramone. What is your semblance?"

"Ah, yes." Ramone says, straightening his muddled-up suit jacket. "I...don't know exactly how to describe it. Like the Schnee, my semblance is inherited. I am what my family and myself refer to as a 'Beast Master': I am able to communicate with, control, and create practically any creature."

"Any creature?" Nora asks, standing by now. Ramone smiles, his eye shines, and the vessel on his back opens up. Once again, that strange, dust-like energy flows out and begins to take form. " _Any_ creature." Ramone says, and the dust takes shape of...a Griffon species of Grim behind him...which bends it's head, over his right shoulder, allowing him to pet it. " _Even Grimm._ " Ramone replies, stroking the creature's head. I seriously think that Ramone's too cool...i think everybody else here is thinking that as well. Ramone smiles "I've got a bit of telekinesis as well...although that's not related to my semblance, in part."

"So you _naturally_ have telekinesis?" Pyrrha asks curiously. Ramone nods "Yes, quite so Ms. Nikos...although, i'm afraid...I think this 'Beast Master' ability of mine isn't my semblance, either. I know my Aura is quite active...although what my semblance is, i'm still trying to figure out."

"Fascinating!" Pyrrha says with a smile. Ramone turns to me and notes...a massive book on the floor. "Good lord!" he says "Who's is that?" I turn around, and see the book. "Oh, yeah!" I say "That's our plans for today!"

"Your...plans?" he asks. I suddenly fly over to the book, and then hold it triumphantly above myself, albiet, with a severe struggle. "Yes! This is the last day before the next semester, and with this book, Team RWBY shall have the _BEST DAY EVER!_ " Ramone tilts his head "I...Believe you might have too much scheduled in. If you would allow me to check over that for you, perhaps, while you all...tidy yourselves up?"

"I'm ok with that!" I say, slamming the book down on the ground in front of him. Yang turns, grinning at Ramone. "What about you, Bae?" She says "Don't you need to get cleaned up, too?"

"Easily done." Ramone says, and once again, his eye glows, and all of the muck and grime from Yang's hugs floats right off him, leaving him spotless. "Hey!" Yang says, putting her hands on her hips and stomping her foot. "That's not fair!-"

Just as she says that, Ramone sends all of the grime from himself right onto Yang's face with a thwack. All of us burst out laughing, except for Yang. " _That_ , was not fair." Ramone says, grinning. Yang slowly wipes the muck from her face, before attempting to throw herself onto Ramone again, but, the Griffon from behind him grabs him and flies up and away from Yang's reach, as Ramone flips up onto it's back. "Not fast enough, Yang, dear...and _far_ too predictable."


	5. 86, Part 2

Now knowing that Team JNPR and the rest of our friends also like Ramone only solidifies, in my mind, how great of a match he and Yang really are, and solidifies my trust in him even more. Sure enough, he flies through my plan of the day and whittles it down to a more realistic schedule...and, true to my plan, it does turn out to be one of the best days ever. Heck, with Ramone in Beacon, this semester becomes the best yet for Yang. Time goes by until the night of the dance, and I'm struggling to try and walk correctly on my heels...but I _really_ don't like them...nor this whole getup. I just want to wear my hood, please...I struggle on, until I accidentally trip, and stumble forwards a bit, before falling face-first towards the stone floor. I fear impact, when suddenly somebody grabs me "Got you!" a voice says, as an arm suddenly grabs me around my waist. It's Ramone, and i'm a little embarrased "Oh! Ramone! Uh...t...thanks!"

"It's nothing, Ruby." He says, helping me stand back onto my feet, and I carefully turn around to see him. "You look simply wonderful, Ms. Rose!" he says. I rub the back of my head "Ehh...thanks! I...Really, kinda...don't like...wearing stuff like this."

"Ah, to be expected..." he says. I tilt my head at this strange statement from Ramone. "What do you mean by that?"

"Eh, well, I...I mean that I know despite you maturing...you're still a child in some aspects. Yang agrees with me...So I would figure a dislike for formal attire. Although, I stick to my original statement: you look wonderful!"

"Heh, as I said, thanks...although...I don't understand how Weiss can walk in heels like these!" I say, looking down at my shoes...ack...I hate these things. Ramone chuckles "You're putting all your weight in the front of your feet." he says, and I shake my head.

"No, I'm not!" I reply.

"Yes, you are. Tell me: Were you like any other rambunctious child while you were younger, stomping around and enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah...probably. Why?"

"You need to trust those heels of yours. Distribute the weight evenly, and, if you need to feel like you need to, walk with a bit of a slight stomp. You're not Weiss, and I'm sure if you asked her, she'd say walking in heels isn't the same as walking in normal shoes. Come now, I've got you. You've got to learn soon enough."  
Ramone takes my right arm, and I'm a little embarrassed at first...but I accept it with a blushing smile, before slowly starting to walk with his help. I'm smiling as Ramone carefully, gingerly helps me learn how to walk in heels. Strangely enough...i lean my head on him with a sigh "Where did you come from?..." I ask dreamily. He looks at me "Hm? I didn't catch that, Ms. Rose."

"You're like a dream." I say. "You're Yang's ideal match...such a gentleman...but also with an outgoing personality...You get along with everybody...You're so nice to me...Weiss and Blake too...you're...just perfect. Where did you come from?"

"Ah, Ruby..." He says, smiling. "I'm glad you think of me as such. If you were Yang, I'd tell you I'm from beyond the stars...but no, I am just like you: I had a mother and a father, myself. A loving husband and wife, and I was the result of their love for one another. As I told Blake that one time, a good friend is hard to come by...I'm not perfect, Ruby. Several incidences in my life have shown me that. I'm a normal person, just like you."

"Normal or not...you're perfect enough." I say. "And...We all think so. I'm...a little jealous Yang has you, and not me, to be honest...but I don't care. I think sisters are normally jealous of each other to some degree anyway."

"They normally are."

"Promise me another time you'll take care of Yang?"

"Of course, Ruby. Your sister is _especially_ dear to me. You are too, after all...anybody dear to your sister is dear to me."

I'm grateful to hear that...but something's off about the way he says "especially". I shrug it off though, before soon enough, with his help, I'm walking in my heels just fine, but still holding onto his arm. Soon enough, Ramone walks me into the dance itself. Yang's standing at a podium as we enter, and she's wearing a beautiful white dress. She's looking over her shoulder at first, smiling at what she sees behind her, before turning and seeing us. Her face lights up "Oh my god! How dare you steal my man!" She says. I smirk at her in response "What can I say? I'm too cute for my own good."

"Not with a broken nose." Yang says, raising her first in a mock gesture. "Either way, you look amazing, sis!"

"So said Ramone...but I still don't like it."

"You'll cope." Ramone says, patting my arm. Yang faces his direction "so, did you just see Ruby and decide to walk her to the dance?"

"Yes and no." Ramone says smiling. "She was simply struggling with walking in heels, and I decided to lend her an arm so she could learn how."

"Being the gentleman as always." Yang says with a warm smile. "I'll catch up with you two in a bit, alright?"

"Quite." Ramone says, and we walk into the room, and off towards the side, joining the crowd. I let go of Ramone's arm, and he turns to face me. "Well...thanks for that." I say with gratitude in my voice. Ramone smiles "It's absolutely nothing, Ms. Rose. Always happy to help you in any way whatsoever."

"I really mean it. You're such a nice person."

"I'm glad somebody else appreciates my values, Ruby."

….another weird line...especially granted what he said earlier...I shrug it off.

"Oh well." I say smiling "I know you've probably got something great planned for Yang tonight, or something, so...best of luck with that!"

"Oh trust me, Ms. Rose...tonight shall be a night that Yang shall _truly, never forget._ "

….Ramone...his eye glows strangely as he says this...and...i say strangely...because it glows sinisterly. His tone...his facial expression...it's strange for him...sinister for him. _This_ visibly confuses me...and... strangely, it... terrifies me. It's the first time I've ever felt...terrified of Ramone. My smile has left my face and i'm staring at Ramone with a wide-eyed look of fear...he just continues his strange smile, before backing away and into the crowd of people...soon enough, I can't find him anymore. I turn back to the pedestal earlier-!? I...I can't find Yang. I quickly start scanning around the area the best I can, trying to find either of them. I can't find them...it's as if the harder I try to find them, the more I can't in the end. I'm panicking...I...I can't find them...and with Ramone suddenly?!...wait...wait...oh... _WOW_. I'm dumb...this is to get me back for the prank I played on them a while back...heh, they said I was in for it after...and I guess this was it...they scared the heck out of me, and... heh. My demeanor returns to normal, especially when I see Weiss again, as well as Blake...although...they...are...preoccupied with others...so...now I'm alone...as usual...yay...I slink off towards the sides of the party, and slowly along the outskirts...Where's my hood when I need it?...

Finally off of reception duty. Now I can actually enjoy my night...I see Blake, as I expected her to be here, and she's enjoying herself...Weiss is having fun as well...and...I can't find Ruby...well, I know she's not one to just...up-and-leave...she's probably somewhere here...I hope she's alright. I know she wasn't comfortable with this, but i'm still glad she came. Yet, where's Ramone?...I wander through the crowd, trying to find him, eagerly. He's nowhere...wait...there he is! Out on the balcony! I hurry towards the open doors, and out into the beautiful night, where he stands with his back to me, looking out into the city. I smile "Hey, Ramone." I say, a little hesitant at first. He turns to me, a warm smile on his face "Yang, my love...I've been waiting for you."

"Heh...yeah, sorry..." I say, walking closer, a little hesitant still "Work before play, so...yeah. I didn't keep you waiting, did I?"

"My dear Yang...i would wait forever for you." He says, stroking my hair gently. I laugh nervously "Heh...when you're romantic...you really are. Then again...you would be on a night like this."

"Heh...I...I thank you." He says a bit nervous, himself "But my dear, it is simply put, I...I have matters to discuss with you, Yang."

I tilt my head, concerned "Matters?" I ask "What's on your mind, bae?"

Ramone smiles upon hearing me call him bae, and shakes his head "Well...would you know it, that...Well... I had plans to make your night tonight, however..." his voice trails off towards the end. "I...I think I might be doing more than that, Yang...and...I've got a lot riding on tonight."

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, carefully holding his arm. "If something's wrong, tell me."

"Yang...I've got things to say, things to explain...and I don't know how you'll take it from me."

"I... I believe every word you say." I tell him "When you're not BS-ing with me, of course...but I can tell you're not now. What's wrong, tell me."

"Do you recall that I told Ms. Nikos that I don't know exactly what my semblance is?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well...Yang...I don't have a semblance." He says, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't have an Aura...not one defined by your characteristics, anyways."

"...What does that mean?"

"Yang...what I'm about to tell you will make you question everything you know."

I...I'm stunned silent by this...i take a hard swallow, then nod. "Speak your mind." I say. Ramone sighs "Yang...have you ever wondered if there's more to this world?"

"Easily."

"What about...the stars?"

"I've wondered about the stars, too."

"What about...what lies beyond the stars?"

"Is...this supposed to be some sort of romantic pick-up?" I ask. Ramone shakes his head "No, Yang...I mean that to say...I am from beyond the stars. I...I am not of your realm."

I don't know what to say to this. At first, I give an uneasy laugh "Wow..." I say, smiling "That's...one heck of a pickup line."

"It's not." he says "I...I speak the truth, Yang. I'm not from your world. I am from an entirely different plane of existence."

I stare into Ramone for a moment, strangely. He sighs "Yang, why would I lie to you?"

"You...just wouldn't." I say.

"Exactly. Yang...I'm a traveler of worlds. Let me explain...do you understand the concept of an alternate dimension?"

"An alternate reality?" I say "Y...yes, I do."

"Dimensions lie like tiles on the planes of existence. I am from a dimension quite far from your own...you call your world Remnant...but the dimension that holds it is named Epsylan...it's a beautiful name for one of the most beautiful of realms I've ever been in." He adjusts his hat lightly "I...I will say this: I am still what is known as a Beast Master in my realm: I can control and create beasts, not just out of the medium I normally have on my back...but, rather...out of various methods. Yang...you want to really know about me? I am from a much more primitive-era dimension, one still stuck in it's medieval era permanently. As a Beast Master, I am in tuned with knowing the ecologies of many animals...and so, once I was able to control my own form of interdimensional travel...I left my world in search of study...but I fear that that was not my true motive, but rather...to escape my frequent heartbreak. The first and only love of my life at the time was a beautiful, charming woman...but, her heart was stolen by, of all types of people; a pompous, arrogant, bigger-than-life buffoon. My heart was shattered at this...and unwilling to stay and watch her with this 'better man' – or sorry excuse of one – I decided: I must leave for my own sanity and to cure my heartbreak. Time and time again I would meet lovely women that I would fall in love with...time and time again the same time of high-class, arrogant snob would take them from me, not wanting somebody humble and kind as myself. Somebody who would actually give them time...I wandered from world to world in search of study...and in search of a partner. Then I heard of Epsylan, and the struggles of you all...Yang, Dimensions have a set lifespan between a beginning and end. Once a dimension reaches an end, it re-starts, except there may be differences. Certain people may switch genders or behave differently, for instance. Each time a dimension exists is called a 'run'. Yang, I heard about you and Epsylan from others...you're a legend due to your part in the past runs of Epsylan...you...you sounded like the ideal woman...or, at least, a good female friend to me. Epsylan itself sounded like a home away from home...so, while in Remnant, I would study Grimm...but, imagine my surprise when I met you in person. The fact I met you, you fell in love with me, and I court you?...It's...it's too much for me. I...just fear loosing you, as I have the others."

…..I stare at him in a look of shock. This...this is elaborate...yet...the sincerity of his voice... "...Why do you tell me this?" I ask. Ramone sighs again "Because...It's only the first part...all I need to know...is if you believe me, or if you think of me any differently..."

"...of course I believe you." I say after what feels like an eternity of silence. "It's...just so much to take in...but...please...somehow, show me some sort of proof. I believe you so much, but...still, I... I just want proof, other than...just words!"

"I wish I could give you proof." Ramone says "But alas, I'm not some high-ranking member of Interdimensional Pantheon...you know, powerful supernatural beings who rule throughout existence and make it's framework. I can't just suddenly...transport you to my world to see for yourself...but...maybe there's one thing I can do."

He does a short whistle...but nothing happens...not at first. Out of nowhere, a small black shape comes down out of the sky and lands on his right shoulder...a small Nevermore?! Ramone sighs "I said I am a Beast Master, Yang. A Grimm knows no such thing as peacefulness towards humans, correct? Yet look at this smaller Nevermore: He won't do anything towards either of us. Take what you know of Grimm, apply it to this situation...this is all I can offer as evidence. If...If you must confirm that this truly is a Nevermore for yourself, do go ahead."

I...I-I just have to make sure. I carefully reach out towards the head of the creature with my left hand...trying to get a good look at it while I do...it's got claws on it's wings...and that mask...the eyes... It's definitely a Nevermore...but...the way it acts...It's not like one. Even the smallest of Nevermores can be aggressive...heck...this thing is acting like it's tamed. Yet, you can't tame a Grimm...no wonder he would use a small one like this...discreet, unable to be detected easily by the city's defenses. Besides...at a distance, one could mistake it for a simple bird. The Nevermore is actually allowing me to pet it...yet... slowly, I bring my hand back down. "...I believe you." I say "Yet, as you said...what's this second part to all this?..."

"Yang...your world is in great danger." He says "That much I've been able to figure out. _You_ are in great danger. I don't doubt your abilities to protect yourself or Remnant, but...knowing the coming danger...I'm just afraid of loosing you. _You are the most beautiful and perfect woman I've met._ I just don't want to loose you..."

"I...I could... understand why, knowing what I do now about you..." I say "But...There's more to it, isn't there?"

"Yang...I'm going to ask you to do something difficult." He says, sighing once more, and pausing for a moment. "I... I need to ask you to give up on what you know and love, and please, come with me to a life of paradise, where we can work together to stop the coming calamity."

"What?!" I ask in anger and shock. "Are you legitimately asking me?-"

"Yes. Run away from all of this. Forget Beacon...Forget your dreams of being a Huntress. Forget your friends, Forget your team...forget your Sister; and come with me for-"

"NO!" I snap angrily. "I can't just give up on everything! Especially Ruby!? _MY SISTER?!_ _ **YOU WANT ME TO GIVE UP ON MY SISTER?!**_. Ramone, I can't do that."

"Yang, please-"

"No! Ramone, damnit. You have no idea how hard all of this is to believe, but knowing you, I know you'd never lie to me. You have a sad story, truly you do, but still, I can't just give up my own life to make your life a dream come true!"

"Yang!" Ramone says, quickly becoming on the verge of tears "Please, just hea-"

"NO!" I firmly say. "I thought I knew you, Ramone. Clearly from what you told me I didn't, but that was alright, yet _this_ in no way is! How could you ask me to do such a thing?! Do you understand how selfish that is?!"

"Yang...Xiao...Long...please..." Ramone says...his...his purple eye turns blue. "Please..please just hear me-"

"No." I say, on my own verge of tears. "I...I thought I knew somebody who was kind-hearted...loving...and caring. Clearly, I was wrong."

"Y...Damnit, Yang!" he says, turning and pounding his fists on the railing of the balcony. He bends over, leaning heavily onto it, his face in his hands as he sobs. I...Hearing Ramone cry like this...I...I feel terrible now...something inside of me just fills me with such compassion, I...he still is the man I knew and love. He's just...I've crushed him. I slowly approach his left side from behind, lightly resting my hand on his right shoulder. "I...I'm sorry." I say. Ramone, after a few moments, wipes his face "I'm...not asking for this to be permanent." he says finally. My eyes widen "O...oh my god..." I reply "I...I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

"No, you didn't know. It's alright...you're hot-headed both figuratively and literally, I understand why you suddenly would put up that offensive defense against me without hearing me fully."

"No, it's not alright. That was terrible of me. Please...speak. Let me hear what you're trying to say."

"I...I will indeed give you a life of paradise." He says "Peace, and paradise, if you leave with me tonight...but, that's because I need you, Yang. Remember how I said i'd heard of your exploits in past runs? You have no idea the crucial role you play in Epsylan. I need _your_ help to enact the only solution I've been able to find through my careful observations. That's why I wish to elope with you...not just because I love you...but so that we can safely do what we must to save the world. Yang, once we begin working on this, forces will be out against us...I wish to remove you from all you know, temporarily, so that they are not at risk."

"But...wouldn't those against us try to-"

"No, although that would sound logical. Trust me, what we will be doing will be so antagonistic towards their goals they'll be in such a blind panic trying to find us they'll leave your family alone. Then...when we have done what we must...then we can spread our own perfection of paradise out to the rest of the world slowly, one soul at a time. Yang...you are _my one true love._ I need you, Yang...not just for me...but for the hopes of everybody in this world...your friends, your teammates...your sister. Please, I'm begging you: do this with me." he turns towards me "I offer paradise and peace so we can bring about peace and paradise to your world...my second home. Please, Yang..."

I'm quiet for what sounds like an eternity...finally, I lift my head up. I eye the Nevermore still perched on his shoulder...then I look into the face of Ramone. I smile "For...the sake of everybody...especially Ruby...so she can have the world of wonder she dreams of...and for you, your happiness, and my own..." I lean forwards onto him, putting my hands on his shoulders, and arms down his chest, as I lean close to his face, and into his eyes "...take me to this wonderful world of paradise, so we can lead others into it as well."

Ugh...why...do I suck...with people?...In the end i'm standing by the punch bowl, all by myself, a glass in my hand, staring blankly out into the vibrant scene. Soon i'm not alone anymore, as Jeanne ends up doing the exact thing I am: standing alone by the punch bowl, lost as to what to do. After a brief conversation with him, I decide to try and find Ramone or Yang. I wander around the edges of the room...but...where are they? Wait...I look out towards a balcony...there they are! W..wait...I freeze a moment, looking out at them. Ramone's face is...strange. It's of a strange, pleading look...and Yang has a look of confusion. The two of them are talking about something, and...i wonder what. I know it's not my intention to easedrop...yet...something doesn't feel right. Somehow, Ramone's earlier, strange words still ring in my ears once again. I slowly, sneakily try and make an advance...Ramone seems to close his eyes for a moment as I watch on, and...suddenly, something lands on his shoulder...wait. My eyes widen when I see it. Is...Is that...a small...Nevermore?! What's...how...something somehow terrifies me now...I try to hurry closer without bumping in to anyone, and keeping a good view of Ramone and Yang, which is hard to do. Suddenly...their conversation turns south, as Yang seems to start going off on something, to which Ramone tries to do something about, but she won't have any of it. Soon...Ramone...his eye changes color...and then he quickly turns towards the railing, pounding on it, before leaning heavily over it...something's not right between them. I...Maybe it's just my imagination...maybe...maybe those two are just having issues for a moment, but...something just tells me something isn't right in the slightest! ...my fears are solidified when I see Yang's eyes turn the same shade of blue as Ramone's once violet eye...something in my gut just tells me there isn't something right! The two seem to talk tenderly with each other for a moment...and Yang seems to have a look of pleading on her own now, asking for forgiveness...Ramone turns to face Yang...and then Yang leans in close...and the two of them kiss, eyes closed...this...calms me. I'm so happy for them...whatever's just happened...I know it's for the better. During their kiss...Ramone's eyes open. His eyes...they're looking at me now...with...malevolent intent. His eye is a dark purple now...and his eyes terrify me. Just then...i hear a voice in my head...Ramone's voice...

" _She's_ _mine_ _now, you red-headed imp."_

The... the tone of his voice is of pure evil. My eyes widen...and just then, Ramone sweeps Yang off of her feet. The Nevermore flies off of his shoulder and away as Ramone quickly runs to an edge of the Balcony and leaps off, with Yang in his arms. I dash out as quickly as I can out onto the balcony. "YANG!" I call "YANG! YANG!" I'm looking frantically everywhere...they...it's as if they just vanished into thin air. They're gone. My eyes try to frantically scan anything and everything for a sign...! Wait... at first, I think I see Ramone carrying Yang across the roofs of nearby buildings...but the figure in the dark is too slim and feminine to be him...something's...really off. I take a quick look around for Ramone or Yang...nothing. Maybe...maybe i'm just imagining the voice and all the...maybe...but that woman seems like a bigger threat...Yang...she'll come home tonight. I know she will...but something tells me to investigate that woman...

I..didn't get much sleep that night. After the events in the tower, and...then that Yang never came back to her dorm. Weiss and Blake don't know about anything, and...I'm just so worried. Blake suggests we go out for a morning walk to get some fresh air so I can calm down...i'm grateful for her kindness. Even Weiss is supportive of me. We're walking out past the main fountain by now, when suddenly we run into Professor Ozpin and Glynda. We're surprised to see them, and Oz simply explains he often likes to take walks in the morning, as we seem to be doing. Saying he was going to ask I report to him later in the day, he asks if I can go ahead and recount anything about last night. I say what I can...but...regardless, I keep our knowledge of a base in the southeast quiet. We spend about five minutes talking about this. "Are you sure that's all you can recall?" Ozpin asks.

"Yes, Professor." I say "That's it...sorry."

"It's nothing. I can see the troubled look on your face. If that is all you can remember, I understand."

"I thank you, sir, but...that's not why I'm...down like this."

"Hm? What's troubling you, Ruby?..."

"...Yang never got back to the dorms last night." I state. Ozpin tilts his head "That so?..."

"Yes...but...I...I know Yang is rambunctious, but...Sir, I feel like this is some sort of foul play."

"What evidence do you have?" Glynda asks. I sigh "Well...Ramone. He was saying weird lines last night, like 'you have no idea how important your sister is to me' in weird tones...promising that 'this will be a night Yang won't forget'...then I saw him and Yang out on the balcony...they were getting into a huge fight...and then next I know...Ramone's eyes change color, and soon Yang's matches his."

"You sure it wasn't a trick of the light?"

"They were light blue, professor. _Light blue_! How could that happen _in the middle of the night_?"

"...what happened after?"

"Well...Yang suddenly seemed to have a change of heart, and next I know...Ramone sweeps her off her feet and they're gone."

"We're not going to take responsibility for a pair of immature youths." Goodwitch replies "Regardless of their potential or not."

"B-but!" I stammer

"Ms Rose-"

"He had a Nevermore on his shoulder!" I blurt "And Yang isn't that kind of a person! Nowhere in the slightest! She wouldn't just run away without an important reason!"

"What did you mean, that Ramone had a nevermore on his shoulder?" Ozpin asks me.

"That's exactly what I mean! He had a mini-Nevermore on his shoulder!"

"Now, I know this sounds strange, but-"

"No, it wasn't a black bird with a mask on!"

Ozpin and Goodwitch look at each other a moment, before turning back to me. "Did either of them perhaps...notice you, or say anything?" Ozpin asks.

"...Ramone. When he and Yang kissed. He looked at me, and I heard his voice say 'She's mine now, you red-headed imp'. His eyes were full of evil...and that's what terrified me."

"...what are you asking me to do, about this?"

"...Just...I'm hoping maybe there's something you can do to help me find her, if she truly does just end up missing."

"...that I can do." Ozpin answers finally with a smile, to my joy. "However, we must have a little time. It's just something that must be done first before we can fully say Yang is missing."

"Yeah, I'd understand that." I say lighting up joyfully. "So...how long of a wait is it?"

"48 hours. Surely, you can wait that long?"

"Yeah, it's no problem...thank you, professor."

He walks off, and I bend over slightly, hands on my knees, relieved. Blake puts her hand on my right shoulder. "She's going to be alright." Blake tells me with a warm smile "Yang...she's the kind of person to do questionable things...but she's not stupid. I'm...I'm sure she didn't just leave us."

"Hey...even if Yang's gone, she'll be ok." Weiss says "Just...take it easy. Yang, she does have her...quirks, and I...well, i'll keep that to myself. I'm sure...i don't know her as well as you do."

"...Hey, I know what you were thinking." I say "Yang ran off with him on purpose to elope or something...I'm worrying that myself, Weiss...so please, I understand."

"Heh...thank you. It's just, this whole thing about me and Yang since Ramone...It's gotten under my skin the wrong way with how I've treated her."

"We both forgive you, Weiss." I state. "It's just...I'm scared."

"Scared?"

"Yeah...I'm...I'm just scared because of everything, and I feel...like Yang's...in terrible trouble."


	6. 86, Part 3

I'm in absolute bliss as I slowly open my eyes. Light is slowly coming through the closed curtains as I slowly rub my eyes. I roll over under the covers of the bed...and Ramone isn't there...huh. I slowly sit up, brushing my mess of hair out of my face, before I swing my bare legs out from under the covers and stand up. I've got nothing on but a large, white, shortsleeve shirt on. Groggily, I head out and towards the door of the bedroom. No sooner do I open it, do I see Ramone, his hand was reaching for the doornob. "Ah, good morning, my love" he says with a smile. I smile groggily back "Heh...Hey, Ramone." I say, kissing him.

"How are you feeling?" he asks me.

"Lovely." I reply, stroking my hair out of my face again. "I...I'm just so happy right now. Last night... it has truly...really, changed me, and my life, for the better."

"It was my pleasure." He says, tilting his hat. "I was just about to check up on you. I've got breakfast almost done."

"That's sweet of you..." I say "But aren't I the one who's supposed to be cooking for my husband, wearing his own t-shirts while doing so, or something?" I ask, tugging at the shirt I wear lightly. Ramone chuckles "Not at all. Marriage is something where we are of equal yolk: both of us carry the same amount of weight for each other. Allow me, please, to make both our first night, and first day, as a proper couple, truly worthwhile."

"Heh...thank you." I reply "Guess if that's the case...I'll need to put some pants on, then..."

"Actually, I advise you not to."

"Hm? Does my earlier idea sound tempting?"

"Indeed, but what I mean, my darling, is perhaps you should go and shower?"

"Ah, true...thank you."

Ramone turns around and leaves back towards the kitchen, and I go over to the closet...I'm pleasantly surprised to find my usual wardrobe options hanging up in there. I take my usual outfit out, and walk on over to the bathroom, and enjoy myself a nice, warm shower. Afterwords I begin to brush my hair, as I'm now wrapped up in a towel...I'm so happy right now...and...something tells me...I stop brushing my hair a moment, and look down at my stomach...slowly, I put my free hand on it's stomach and smile warmly. I can just feel it...I know I'm pregnant. It's one of the happiest feelings of my life...after all, it's Ramone's baby, too...and...heh, it's just hard to put my happiness into words. Finally satisfied with my hair, I get dressed, then walk off into the kitchen, where Ramone already has breakfast waiting for me. He's finished setting the table. "Hello, again" he says with a smile "all done. These omelettes are a recipe from my mother's side of the family. I hope you'll find them satisfactory."

"Only one way to find out." I say, sitting across the small table from Ramone. The room is quaint, and looking out the nearby open window, I can see the landscape surrounding our happy, hidden home. It's somewhere far away from civilization, deep within rolling hills and mountains that surround us, verdant forests everywhere. I love this secluded location...and Grimm don't bother us. If they see us, they think nothing of us at all, which is wonderful. I start eating my breakfast, and smile "It's great." I say with a smile, complementing his family recipe "Whoever in your mom's side of the family made the recipe definitely has something with this."

"Fairly confident it was an uncle of mine." Ramone replies. "And...speaking of Family...you feel it, don't you?"

"...our child?" I ask, with a warm smile. "Yes. I do."

"That's...wonderful, truly. So you can already feel our daughter."

"A daughter..." I say, trailing off at the thought of it. "That's...wonderful."

"Indeed. You are the love of my life, so let me ask you: what shall her name be, hm?"

I thought a moment. "...hm...Celeste." I said, finally. Ramone smiles "Celeste Xiao Long...beautiful name, and fitting of our beautiful daughter."

"Heh...yeah. I always did like the name."

"Truly?...good. Now, there is something I need to tell you about her, Yang."

"...Something...about our daughter?"

"Yes. Our daughter won't be normal." He says warmly, yet with a cautious tone. "Our daughter...will be our ultimate weapon against the evil that plagues this world. She will be a champion who will vanquish that which endangers this world."

I...was shocked in awe of this. "...You...you said I was important." I reply. "Yet...this is why?"

"Yang, I love you, and...no, this wasn't my plan, to conceive a child with you, even if we weren't lovers, and you agreed...but this is the best case scenario, something I thought impossible...You, Yang, have an immense, hidden power within you. Something that cannot be accessed yet...your daughter also has those powers, and mine, but on a far more powerful scale. She will use your power to lead this world to eternal victory and peace."

I'm smiling, tears coming down my face upon hearing this. "So...I have some sort of power in me, and our daughter will get those too...yet even stronger?"

"Yes. Trust me, there are forces conspiring to kill you because of the power sleeping within you."

"Then... Then I am truly blessed and grateful to have you in my life." I say warmly "You...you really are perfect, Ramone. At least, in my eyes."

"Thank you, Yang."

"So...Ramone..." I ask "You...you've never told me. What is this 'dire evil' that threatens Remnant? er...what did you call it?..."

"Epsylan?"

"Yes, what is this danger to Epsylan?"

Ramone sighs. "Yang, I understand, and it _is_ best I tell you, so that you can understand our enemy. Yang, the danger which threatens all of Remant, all of Epsylan, your friends, your sister Ruby...is _hope_."

I'm staring directly at him, my eyes wide. "...What...did you just say?..."

"Hope, Yang. Hope is what I cannot allow this world to have anymore. You...your hidden power is that which would ensure and enforce peace, solitude, and hope for all...something that terrifying, I cannot allow in the slightest. I told you, I am a Beast Master: with the ability to create any creature in a variety of methods...Yang, the child within you...Celeste...she has not inherited your powers, but, rather, taken them completely and magnified them. Our daughter herself is not my creation...but the creature that grows within her is, and _is the most perfect of all my creations_. Using your power, once Celeste becomes of age...Cradylik will take control of her, and emerge. Yang, in three months, you will die in childbirth. Truly a sacrifice worthy of enforcing true fate, keeping our threat at bay, and a true act of love. In three months, you will bear a child that is the vessel of absolute power, which will one day go on to destroy all of Epsylan and other dimensions for all of eternity, and finally kill them on their final run."

There's an explosion of noise and dust as Ramone and the table go crashing through the nearby wall and into the living room. Ramone quickly scampers on to his feet to see me standing in the gaping hole in the wall, my eyes red, and hair aflame. I'm absolutely furious, to say the least...but I'm also crying. I'm also shaking, trembling in response to what I've just heard. "Yang!" Ramone calls frantically "What was the meaning of this?! That table was an heirloom!"

"F...Fuck your heirloom..." I stutter. "F...Fuck you... I...I trusted you...I loved you...and...I was willing to give my all for you!"

I fly at him in a rage, punching him the face and knocking off his glasses, sending him to the floor. I quickly get on top of him, pinning him down with my knee, and start punching him in the face.

"I ! TRUSTED! YOU!" I say between punches. "AND NOW! I'M GONNA DIE! BECAUSE OF OUR BABY?! ONE THAT! YOU TRICKED ME! INTO HAVING?! SO YOU COULD! FUCKING DESTROY! MY FRIENDS?! MY FAMILY?! MY WORLD?! MY SISTER?! FUCK YOU! FUCK! YOU! FUCK! YOU! FUCKING! LIAR!"

I'm beating him in both rage and sadness, tears streaming down my face. I actually cared about this monster of a man! And now, because of...I've been tricked into death, and giving birth to some sort of monstrosity inhabiting my child?! Ramone's face, and my fist, are both covered in blood. I've given him a black eye, several broken and lost teeth, and probably a few broken facial bones. I quickly stand up, towering over him, and spit onto his face, before kicking him in the side. "You...fucking...monster..." I said "I... I thought I had something with you...and you... you used me... and you planned this all along... I don't care how sad your story is. You've used me, and you're threatening to destroy all I know and love! I _loved and cared_ for you, and that apparently means nothing!" I clench my right fist angrily "You...you only used me! Now I'm gonna die because I loved and trusted you! You never cared for me!" I raise my right fist into the air "GO TO HELL!" I scream as I drop down to the ground in a rage-induced punch to finally crush his skull. Just as my fist gets to his face, Ramone catches my fist, and suddenly...my semblance is gone. The power I felt from it is gone. I don't even feel my usual, normal strength. My eyes are wide with terror, as Ramone's face heals, and he reaches back with his free hand, picks up his glasses, and puts them back on his face. "Now...my dear Yang..." he pleads "That...hurts me deeply. You know very well much I love you, and you love me. Simply revealing our mutual goal and...now you suddenly doubt that?...must I show you how much I love you, again?"

Suddenly, he flips me over so I'm on the ground, and he's on top of me. Normally, I could easily throw him off me. Yet, I don't have any strength whatsoever now. I fight back as much as I can, to no avail, struggling as he begins to kiss and undress me against my will. "STOP!" I scream in terror "STOP IT! STOP! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!""""

I'm silently staring at a bunch of paper on my desk, which faces out a window in our dorm. All of the various information is about the case of Yang's disappearance...and there are stacks upon stacks of my own work. I lean on the counter on my elbows, my scroll held up, as I have a conversation with someone. "...Yes, Professor." I say, solemnly "...Yes, I understand...It's just it's been almost three months since she's been gone and... yes, thank you, but again, don't try and divert the conversation about me... i'm sorry sir... yes, I know... yes... yes sir... I... I-... Is there anything else that can be done?... No, I... understand... I know, sir... you don't want to chase your tail going over what's already known... No, I apologize... thank you sir... yes, professor... do as you must... no, I understand...yet, could I maybe see the information again?... Get my own copies of it?... I just want to compare it to my own notes... for solitude... there's no disclosed files? Thank you...so this will be everything?...Yes, sir... no, thank you, professor. Really... you've been amazing. Yes, sir...goodbye."

The call ends, and I have tears streaming down my face. Slowly, I rest my hands back onto the tabletop and collapse onto the table. Weiss and Blake stand behind me a distance away, very concerned for me. Weiss, uncomfortably, slowly walks up behind me and puts her hand on my right shoulder. "...It's been hell for me, too." She says, finally. I slowly turn my head up at her. "...I guess it has...but don't think you're to blame for any of this."

"I know...it's...just that I feel guilty...this has been eating me alive."

"Heh, preach it. It's got nothing but bones left to gnaw on for me..."

"Hey...cheer up. Yang didn't run off on her own, at least. Right, Blake?" she says, looking towards Blake, who leans on the wall nearby. Blake looks down uneasily, and holds her right arm. "I... I can't answer that."

"What do you mean 'I can't answer that'!?" Weiss blurts back. "How could you say something like that?!"

"It... I... I'm just suspicious."

"Suspicious?! Of Yang?! Are you-"

Slowly, I rise out of my chair, which quiets them both. I turn around, facing towards Blake, and walk directly to her. As I stand before her, my hair clouds my eyes to her view. I look down a moment, them up, my eyes closed, before opening them, and looking directly into Blake's yellow eyes. "...Blake..." I say quietly.

"...Yes?" she says, after clearing her throat, nervously.

"I... I know this isn't me..." I say low "...but you have no idea how much that statement makes me want to slap you."

"W...what?"

I give a strange, short laugh, a strange smile on my face. "But...I won't. Blake I.. we... even Yang...we know you. You're very skeptical for obvious reasons due to your past, but we don't care. Blake... just think. Yang's an over-flirtatious blonde, and that's the only stereotype she is. Think about how Yang treated you. Is that the kind of person who-..." I trailed off, and then gave another strange laugh after a pause. "Hell, forget it. I love you, Blake, but you've got to stop having pity parties and learn to trust people. Otherwise, they _won't_ look at you any differently, or the way you want them to. Only _you_ can change the way you look at others and how others look at you. If you're too skeptical of everybody to change, then go ba-"

I stopped myself mid-sentence, knowing what I was about to say was a terrible idea...but Blake and Weiss knew exactly what I was going to say. Blake's eyes, fearful at first, have turned angry now, as they bore into my eyes. "Then go back into the White Fang?" Blake says angrily. I sigh "Yes...that's what I was going to say, but-"

"Shut it." Blake says "I thought you were the most level-headed of us all, Ruby. I really did. I guess if i was wrong about you, I could be wrong about Yang. No, strike that, I _am_ wrong about her. She did run away on purpose. I wouldn't put it behind her."

"Blake..." I say, trying to hold back the anger inside me, as Weiss watched on in fear of what may soon happen. "Please...let's just t-"

"No, i'm not calming down, and i'm not going to talk. I've completely been lied to, yet again. Do you not know how this feels?! For all intents and purposes, and I do mean ALL offense with this, Ruby, but when it comes to Yang, I firmly do believe that not also did she run away and leave _US_ on purpose and lie to us all in the process, I wouldn't be surprised that God only knows times that bimbo-" Blake stops, takes a deep breath, and adjusts her stance. "No. That doesn't bring my point across and hurt you enough. God knows how many times that _**BLONDE WHORE**_ has eagerly spread her legs wide open for that damn pimp of hers already!"

I...don't know what to think or say to either Blake or Ruby upon hearing that. Blake...she's over-infuriated already, already emotionally compromised before; and then Ruby being emotionally compromised as well...suddenly, what I fear happens. After about two seconds of silence, Ruby doesn't slap Blake, but straight out sends a sudden punch flying at her face. Blake quickly moves her head to the right with ease, avoiding it and sending Ruby's right fist straight into the wall, and she immediately feels the pain in her wrist. Just as I realize how cruel of a move that was for Blake to pull, her brutality astonishes me even more. She suddenly gives Ruby a massive suckerpunch, which floors her, and Blake jumps right on top of her and starts punching Ruby in the face over and over. "STOP IT!" I say, as I try and pull Blake off of Ruby, who begins to kick and punch Blake back. I notice something just then that terrifies me...Ruby's normally silver eyes are an unnatural, deep, blood red. This causes me to quickly stop trying to break up their fight in shock, before suddenly, Ruby grabs Blake by her hair, and flips them over, getting on top, before starting to deliver a beatdown of her own...Now with Blake on the bottom, I can see her eyes are also that strange, evil color. I try to get them to break it up instead, now firmly believing they aren't their normal selves. Yet, Ruby isn't on top for long, before Blake throws another sucker punch at Ruby, who's knocked off Blake and onto her fours next to Blake. Ruby roars and pounces at Blake to grab her, but Ruby is left clutching one of Blake's shadow copies. Blake suddenly tackles Ruby from behind, slamming her into the desk that Ruby was once herself sitting in. Blake gets several good blows to the back of Ruby's neck and head in the process, despite my frantic interference, before Ruby manages to flip herself over. She grabs at Blake's hair again with her right hand, latching hold. Blake suddenly does an animalistic maneuver, sinking her teeth into Ruby's wrist. Ruby then retaliates by- ! No! She suddenly grabs a pencil from the desk. I rush to her hand to try and stop it, but i'm too late. She's already grabbed it, and stabs at Blake's head with it. She sees it coming at the last second and ducks down, but still keeps Ruby's hand in her mouth. This causes Ruby to stab Blake's bow instead.

"AAAAAAHHH!"

That sound...was a scream of pain from Blake. Suddenly she lets go and backs up, holding her head...and Ruby suddenly gives a yelp of pain as well, holding her arm. The same arm that has bleeding bitemarks from Blake, as well as having punched the wall...it looks painful. Wait...Just now, they're suddenly aware of the pain...and their eyes are normal again. It's as if Ruby's attack had somehow brought Blake back to her own senses, and Blake's scream of pain brought Ruby back to her own. "W...What the hell?!" Ruby says terrified "W...What the hell just happened?!"

"Y...you don't recall the fight you and Blake just had?!" I ask in disbelief. Both Blake and Ruby quickly lock onto me in shock "Wait, what?!" Blake says "What do you mean we-Agh!"

suddenly, there's a knock on the door, and Pyrrha's voice "Hey! Everything ok in there?"

"Perfectly fine!" I say quickly "It's...just there's a really big spider in here, and it fell from the roof on Blake's hand...so...yeah, and...we've gotta find that thing so...might be a little more chaos! Sorry!"

"Well...alright." Pyrrha replies, and I hear her start walking away. Suddenly, I see Ruby staring directly at Blake...at the pencil lodged in her bow. Blake feels it with her left hand, before dashing into the bathroom. I slowly help Ruby back onto her feet, but also help her limp into the bathroom as well. We see Blake staring at herself in the mirror, just having taken the pencil out of her...ear. She now takes her bow off to examine her right ear, which has a circle-shaped mark going straight through, blood flowing down into her ear. Ruby is wide-eyed upon seeing this, knowing that she inflicted such a wound on her friend. Blake quickly takes a wad of paper towels and wets them using the sink, and then carefully presses it to her ear. "A...I...I'm so sorry!" Ruby says, bursting into tears. Blake...starts crying a little, herself. "H..heh...I...It's ok..."

"B-But don't you need to go to the hospital for something like that?!"

"It's...soft tissue." Blake says with a strange smile. "After all...it's probably not going to heal through, even with my aura. How do you think you make holes for earrings?

"B...but"

"When do you see me openly displaying my ears in public in the first place?"

"I...won't it get infected or something?"

"Well...I should be able to just clean it up ok...you learn various things being in the White Fang. Field treatment is...well, sort of a thing of mine."

"I...well...I'm just so sorry!"

"It's ok Ruby." Blake says smiling, and turning to us. "It's fine...whatever just happened...it wasn't you."

"T..thank you." Ruby says, sniffling, and turning to me. "What...did happen?"

"Well...you and Blake got into a big, like...blow-on-blow fight ." I reply "Don't...what's the last thing you remember?"

"I...I remember telling Blake that I'd slap her across the face for what she said, but...that's literally all I recall. Everything else is a blur."

"Last thing I recall was you stopping yourself from saying I was better of back in the White Fang." Blake replies. "Then...it just gets foggy for me too."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby says, turning "Blake I...I'd never-"

"I know, Ruby...whatever happened...that...wasn't us."

Suddenly, I remember. "No, it wasn't. Both of your eyes were red."

"Our eyes were red?" Ruby asks, a look of fear on her face, as Blake also gets a concerned look.

"Yes, your eyes were red. Dark, blood-colored...and absolutely furious. I...I don't..."

"Wait...I..." Ruby says, stumbling through words "I...I need to try and...remember..."

"Remember what?" Blake asks. Ruby closes her eyes and holds her head, trying to recall the fight. I help her over to the sink carefully as Blake continues to treat her ear, eventually using some rubbing alcohol from the cabinet on her ear to disinfect her wounds. Suddenly, Ruby opens her eyes "T...that red..." she says, realizing something.

"What?" I ask. "What about it?"

"T-that...that was the same color red that Ramone's eyes were before he stole Yang!"

Suddenly, Ruby's fists begin to curl, and her face becomes angry again...so does Blake. "Take my sister and try and control _me_ , huh Ramone?..." Ruby says angrily. "You...you have another thing coming. When I find Yang, I'll bring her back home safe and sound. When I find you...I'll be the one to kill you."

"You won't be alone on that." Blake says "I...I truly do have great respect for Yang. Especially after what she told me before the dance, that opened my eyes...Ruby, Yang would be truly proud of you, to know that you're so diligently searching for her. Yet, as she told me...don't search for her to the point it becomes an obsession. That will end up only destroying you, even if you do find her."

"I-I...yeah, you're right." Ruby says with a smile. "And...I apparently did a number on you, more than just the...new space for an earring."

"Yeah...you did." Blake says with a nervous laugh, looking at the few bruises on her face. Ruby smiles, putting her left hand under her left eye, which is black. "Funny thing, Blake?"

"What?"

"I actually suck terribly at hand-to-hand combat. I'm like...really weak in truth."

Blake sighs, giving Ruby a sarcastic, playful look. "Really? Then who beat the snot out of me?"

"No clue." Ruby says with a smile, then looks at her right hand, holding it up. "So...Blake. Any idea on this?"

"Yeah...lemme get some things." She moves around behind us back into the room, as I help Ruby by cleaning up her bite-marks from Blake. After rinsing the wound, it take a paper towel and pour some of the rubbing alcohol on it. Ruby hesitates at first, but I smile "Hey, this isn't what you think it is. This won't burn: it'll only sting. Besides, the stinging only means it's cleaning you up."

Ruby then nods, slowly giving me her arm back, which I wipe down with the towel. Ruby cringes because of the stinging pain, but she takes it very well. Blake walks in, with a BUNCH of her own bows, unraveled, around her arm. She smiles warmly "Well...they're not bandages, but they're the next best thing...and I wouldn't be a proper friend if I didn't sacrifice a little bit for my friends."

"You...ok with that?" Ruby says, tearing up again "They...they won't wash or something when you use 'em, so you're basically...". Blake's offering her bows to patch ruby up. _Her bows._ We know how attached she is to those things. Blake continues to smile, and gives a strange sigh "What's more important? Some stupid pieces of fabric that conceal my heritage; or the health, welfare, and friendship of one of my dearest friends?"

"Blake...don't. Just because you-"

"I _am_ feeling guilty, even if I wasn't in my right of minds, but... I...I feel like I was still in control somehow...don't you?"

"I...kinda." Ruby says.

"Maybe...if we were somehow controlled...i think it was more along the lines of something that brings out the worst in people...if that makes any sense." Blake begins to tie her bows together and begins wrapping them around Ruby's arm quite effectively. Finally, she ties off the bows together. Ruby smiles, and looks at Blake's right arm. "Heh, guess I look like you now." Ruby says, with some sort of strange sympathy, raising her arm. Blake smiles, raising her right arm, and putting it against Ruby's arms. "Sister by appearance, sisters by soul. That's...that's how much I trust you both. I have to keep reminding myself of that".

"Through and through." Ruby says with a smile, then turns to me. "Also, Weiss?"

"Hm?"

"...thanks for coming out of your comfort zone just now. No offense, but I didn't expect you to be the kind to be a mediator like that..."

"Well..." I say with a smile "I've...had time to think while Yang's been gone. I don't want to be the dysfunctional one of the group...and besides, I feel, in part...some sort of guilt about this whole thing with Yang. To be honest, sometimes I've found myself wishing Ramone did choose me, so she could still be here and I was the one gone...because I just know something isn't right about this."

"You're not as cold as you think you are, Weiss." Ruby says "I don't know if your life was truly as easy as many believe it is...but I know you're not as stuck-up as most people think you are."

"I'm not stuck-up!"

"Then how could you be the dysfunctional member of the group?" Blake asks me. I pause a moment, then sniff, holding back tears. "...Well, I just know i'm not doing the right thing and behaving the right way. I'm just...I don't know how to describe it."

"Weiss i'm not happy with myself either." Blake replies "One of the easiest, yet hardest steps to changing...it's admitting your faults. I... I know i'm incredibly skeptical of even those closest to me...or, at least, I have a tendency to when something fishy arises...but that's because...my trust has been broken too many times."

"We can't blame you for that, Blake." Ruby says. "I mean...you and Weiss both...don't have the best of lives, from what I recall. Especially you, Blake...I don't care what you've done, you're dear to me...and I don't want to hurt you again, or see you get hurt... _I_ would be the one feeling guilty if that happened...and I am."

"Same for me." I reply "Blake...please. Understand that...well, I might have been discriminating to an extreme degree at one time...but I know you now. You're not...you're a delicate friend to have. Yet...I can tell, when you do give your trust to those you firmly believe to be your friends...you're an incredible friend. What you have in suspicion and fear, I...I have in stubbornness and loneliness."

Just then, Ruby stares at me with a smug face that just screams "I knew it", as she slowly leans in closer and closer to my face. I sigh "Yes, I...I always did feel lonely growing up, and I often still have. Yet...I did always...despite you being my teammates, and you my partner...i did consider you my friends. Although, Ruby, i'm still not your-"

"Yes you are." Ruby says quickly "But that's not why i'm like this. How can you still be lonely when you're in a team with kind-hearted people who care about you?"

"...I...I don't..."

"Because...Actually, I think Blake knows too, right?" she says, turning to Blake, who nods. "Maybe you think your stone-cold heart isn't capable of loving and having friends, Weiss." Blake says warmly "Like how I sometimes feel like I can't have friends either because I can't trust anybody...but you all are proof of the exact opposite. Weiss, I'm friends and teammates with a Schnee. Me, an ex-high-ranking White Fang member. That shouldn't be possible, but that's a huge breakthrough in kindness. Weiss...you really have no idea what it means for me to be _your_ friend."

"Heh...thank you. It means a lot to me to be your friend to, to be honest. But...we can't talk about just the three of us."

The others are returning looks of determination at me. "Right. We can't forget Yang." Ruby replies. Blake nods in response "Ruby, we were supportive...but not as much as we will be now. You said you had vague evidence saying she went to the southeast, right?"

"Yes, she did...and we have that mission coming up!"

"Exactly." I say "Listen...you seem to be on to something in your investigation, which, if you'd like, will finally become _our_ investigation. Ruby...you are one of my closest friends, and seeing you work on this whole case about Yang's disappearance...if you jump out of our transport and we're miles above the ground, all because of a whim you think Yang is nearby...if you run off into the ruins of Mountain Glenn thinking you know where Yang is...I'll be right behind you."

"Me too." Blake says. "We can't be team RWBY without Yang. You're our leader, Ruby. We'll go wherever we need to with you...especially if it is to get Yang back to us."

Ruby is stunned silent at first, but her tears in her eyes, and the look on her face...she's overwhelmingly joyfull. "Thank you..." she says, crying. "Y...Yang thanks you too. I know she does. Y...you two are the kindest people I've ever met...thank you so much."

Next I know, Ruby tackles into me, wrapping her arms around me and crying...I...for once, I hug her back, and I start crying myself...and then soon Blake also embraces us, beginning to cry. "We'll get Yang back, Ruby." I say calmly, holding on to Ruby...in a way I thought I never would, but i'm glad I am. "We'll save her from whatever hell Ramone has her in."


	7. 86, Part 4

My knees feel weak. I stand in front of the kitchen sink, wearing my usual outfit, but with an apron over it. Slowly, with my head down, my body shaking, constantly fighting off tears, as I look down, slowly washing the dishes, trying to avoid the tumorous growth I see which is my own stomach. My life has been nothing but a "forced paradise", which translates into complete hell. I'm...i'm due any day now. I'm literally at death's door...and i'm supposed to be happy about that, apparently. I'm just before the beginning of the relentless destruction of my dimension, and others as well...all caused by my own stupidity...what I believed to be my joy...turning into the tragic death of...so many. I can't stop shaking. Thoughts constantly race through my head. Predominantly, Ruby comes into mind. Does...she think I ran away from her like some sort of selfish...no, she can't...is...Yes, she must be looking for me...please, Ruby, if you are, hurry...I...Strangely, there's another thought that frequently crosses my mind...Celeste. Towards her...i have no ill will. I...strangely, I want to keep Celeste. I... for some reason, I really want to keep my daughter... I just don't want that monster...Cradylik, within her. As I put the dish I've just finished away, my eyes are drawn towards one of the large cooking knives...yes, I've thought of killing myself before. Yet...Ramone, strangely...he looked me dead in the eyes, one time. I was about to hang myself, jumping off the stairwell, with a rope already around my neck. All I needed to do was simply push myself off the railing and my life would have then most likely ended...yet Ramone...he looked me dead in the eyes, with some strange mix of sympathy and evil...his eyes...he told me quite clearly. "If you kill yourself, my love, I can bring you back...but, if you do kill yourself...know that as punishment, I will inflict pain beyond your imagination for as long as possible on your teammates...especially Ruby, until they die a slow, painful death, before I bring you back". I... I'm forced to carry this monster...or else Ruby suffers terribly. I know what he's capable of doing...because I've seen it. I stare at the knife, then clench my hands. "I...hate you." I say low, speaking to both Ramone, and the monster inside me. "I...don't want you...i want my daughter...i don't want a monster...i won't have one! I'm going to get out of here and get -"

I've felt Celeste kick before...but this wasn't a kick. Instantly, it get the feeling of sharp claws tearing across my stomach from the inside. I buckle at this and try to refrain from screaming in pain. Soon, the tearing is done...and I slowly rise back onto my feet. "Go on ahead, Cradylik." I say through clenched teeth, as if using my suicide as a defense to keep it from hurting me is viable. "Hurt me. Kill me. You'll make your master so damn happy-" there's another tear across my stomach, and once again I buckle...then there's some sort of deep, demonic voice.

" _Death by me is death by suicide, as refusal to accept me is refusal to accept his love and grace. so says father."_

I'm terrified, and I can't move. "D...Damn you both." I say through clenched teeth once more. "I...I just...wanted...a life..."

Suddenly, the door opens, and my eyes are wide once more. Quickly, I straighten my back, suck up my tears, and start quickly, but diligently, doing the dishes at a much more efficient pace. Ramone walks in to the kitchen, and smiles upon seeing me. "You're ahead of schedule with that, aren't you?" he says warmly. I give a strange laugh, holding back tears, and trying to act happy "Yeah! Thought i'd finally get off my lazy butt and do a few things."

"Being so late with child, laziness is expected. Perhaps I should do the rest of the chores early?"

"Ahhhh...No, this is the last of it all. I'll be done after this...how were your tests today?..."

"Far better than expected." He says, turning to me. "They're even more promising than the best results I can ask for, my love. Truly."

"Really? Well, then...congratulations? I think?"

He laughs "Ah, it's nothing to be happy for yet, but thank you."

He turns away from me and begins browsing through one of the cupboards. I turn back to the dishes and...suddenly, something crashes into my gut, and causes me to drop to the floor on my knees. Whatever it is, it isn't labor pains...and it's not Cradylik. I'm grabbing onto the top of the sink as I crouch in pain on the floor. Ramone quickly dashes over to me, kneeling next to me. He...he seems legitimately afraid. "Yang?! My love, what's the matter?!"

I'm shaking profusely...and I'm crying. I move my right arm out of the way, revealing my face. I lock my eyes directly with his...

"F...Fuck you..." I utter through clenched teeth. "I...I'm done bending over. You can't make me love you, even if you threaten those I love. Because those I love and I are stronger than you will ever hope to be!"

I hear a loud growl in my head and another massive tear across my stomach. I look down at myself "Keep it the fuck up you monster!" I snap at him "Kill me, and you'll only show your master how strong my friends and I are! We'll never bow and submit, you fucking hear me?!" My gaze then turns to Ramone, who looks at me with a stone-cold face. "Fuck you to hell, Ramone. I _know_ my sister and the others are coming for me. Even then, if they don't make it in time to save me...they'll deal appropriately with Celeste. So long as you don't have her, Cradylik will perish. I refuse to-"

there's nothing but slashing pains on the inside of my stomach now...yet still, I look at Ramone with complete rage in my eyes. " _I...REFUSE...to let you win! I-IN my place,my friends will come, and in their place, a whole new epsylan. We will never let you win, ramone, even if cradylik succeeds. We will kill him, and we will kill you. I curse your soul, ramone! I swear on my own life that I, if not my sister, will be the one who erases you from existence itself! Come at us for all of eternity and we will stand strong. This fight is no new one we haven't faced before! No matter how long the struggle, how violent the war...WE...WILL...ALWAYS...WIN! YOU, THE TRUE MONSTER, THE TRUE EVIL, WILL BE THE ONE WHO DIES BY OUR HANDS! I REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO YOU UNTIL THE VERY DAY I DIE!_ "

Ramone continues to look me in the eye, and I can still feel the pain within me over and over, relentlessly. He slowly stands, looming over me. "...Cease your violence, my perfection." he says calmly, and the tearing in my stomach suddenly stops. "She herself has said she is not afraid of death. As I feared, the iron-will was not caused by the power...but the reason of it. Let her play her game, for we have already won. Every move she makes...is one step closer to her own death. The slow, painful, and violent deaths of those she loves most. Tearing _Ruby_ herself apart is going to be quite amusing."

" _YOU COULDN'T EVEN TOUCH HER IF YOU TRIED."_ I growl at him.

"Of course not, dear...because the only power who has the ability to save you now is _sooo_ omnipotent and _sooo_ willing to just jump in and help you, or send somebody in...you're going to find, my dear, that that is not true. You're going to find out he's favoring others instead of helping you, my dear. He's selfish, favoring...and once you realize that, even if you do overcome my assaults...you won't be too far different from me in the end. Even _if_ I die...I'll still win. You'll learn the hard truth and carry on my own work."

"In your dreams, FUCKER!"

"Oh, trust me, this is indeed a dream come true. I love this game, as any true gentleman would...and truth to that, I'll even play along. I encourage you, Yang Xiao Long, to indeed try to escape. Try to resist. Run away, whenever you can...let's play this deadly little game, hmm? A proper gentleman is always into good sport."

"Sadistic fuck..." I growl. "You can't win."

"On the contrary," he says with a grin "But, alas, this is becoming a circular argument."

He turns and begins heading out the house again "I was just stopping by to check on you...i'll be heading back to the laboratory...so, as I suggested, feel completely free to try and escape...but you know my allies...the Grimm. I feel the leading evil of this world is concerned as to why some of it's minions no longer follow it's commands...because they know who their true master is. You try and escape...they'll bring you back home safe and sound. If you do manage to escape to your sister?...They'll protect both you and my creation within. I am more kind than you think, my love...so I give you the opportunity to run. Yet, here we are, in the middle of nowhere...do you even know where to run? Or will you run into the arms of me or my creations?...I'll let you find out."

He leaves the house...he...he's torturing me. Physically and psychologically...I can't move. I spend a few more moments balled up on the floor, sobbing, before slowly rising to my feet. I look down at the rack of drying dishes in the sink...on the left basin, the dish rack. On the right, soapy water with dishes within...suddenly, I grab the dish rack with a roar, lift it up, turn, and throw it at the wall. There are loud crashes as dishes of all kinds shatter as they fly into the wall and floor. I'm fuming, and then turn back to the sink, and begin wildly chucking the dishes already in the sink everywhere, wildly. Finally, when I have nothing to throw, I begin storming up to the bedroom, and change out of this housewife shit that I put on for Ramone. What I'm looking for has to still be here...it is! Hanging in the back of the closet...my usual outfit. I'm quick to put that back on...finally, I feel more like myself...Then I begin to tear up the bedroom, tearing through drawers, as I look for something...they've got to be...finally, tearing open the 12th drawer i'm going through, I find them: Ember Celica. I put them on immediately and storm back downstairs. Just as I get into the kitchen, a pain crashes into my gut...It's not Cradylik...I forget how hard it is for me to move around with Celeste inside me. I put my right hand on my stomach, and lean on a counter using my left hand. "It's ok girl..." I say, talking to Celeste, as if she can hear me. "I know, I don't blame you...I'm going...to try and save us both. Please...just-AGH!"

Cradylik again begins to tear at my stomach. "I AM YOUR ONLY CHILD." I hear in my head...but, then, I...feel something. A strange warmth in my stomach that quells the tearing. I hear Cradylik hiss in fear and...it actually feels as if he leaves me. I...I smile...my pain is leaving...and I begin to tear up a bit, knowing that...my daughter...she can hear me. She...how? Yet just then, in the perfect silence of the moment...it allows me to hear something...

...an airship.

Quickly, I look out the window over the sink. In the very far distance...I can see an airship moving across the sky. I bolt towards the door of the house, kicking down the door in my frantic run as I run around to the back of the house. I stand, looking towards the faint dot in the sky...something begins to grow within me. I can feel...something driving within me. I slowly take a deep, long breath, and then, after a moment of hesitation and silence, my voice screams out before I chase down the airship.

" _ **HELLLLLLLLLLP!"**_

I'm trying _not_ to look out the window. Seeing anything outside...it just makes me want to jump out and try to find Yang. Blake sits to my right, and Weiss to her right. The professor has gone off on one of his lectures about history...I don't think he even knows we're here anymore he's gone so off-the-deep-end. I'm staring down at the floor when I feel a nudge from Blake. I look up to see her smiling at me warmly. "It's ok." She says low "I...I feel the same."

"It's torture, isn't it?" I respond

"Absolutely" Weiss says, straightening her back. "I can understand why you yourself thought of leaving Beacon to try and find Yang, now..."

"I guess it's a feeling of forced helplessness." I reply. "I...it's like I feel if I just look and look for an eternity, I'll find her...but I don't know if I have that blessing or not."

"Three people looking is better than just one driven-mad sister." Blake states. "If anything...maybe we'll find her at Mountain Glenn."

"Maybe..." I state, leaning back in my chair with a sigh. "Maybe..."

"Don't give up." Weiss says "We'll find her. Don't worry."

My mind now seems to try and block out everything, just to try and keep my urge to jump out down...I hear nothing, not even the hum of our airship...I close my eyes...and all I can see is Yang. The happy times we had with each other...and then, that quickly turns to darkness, as I once again see that night once more, Ramone stealing my sister away. My mind then begins to race with all the cruel things he could be doing to her...It's scaring me half to death as I can feel myself going into a panic attack and-

" _ **HELLLLLLLLLLP!"**_

Yang's scream. I immediately open my eyes, sensing it coming from somewhere to my left, I quickly try to sit forwards to look out the window, but I end up smashing my face into the professor's. I quickly hold my head, trying to figure out what happened.

"Ruby! You're ok!" Blake says...They've all suddenly gathered around me. I'm startled "W-what's going on?!" I ask.

"You were convulsing in your sleep." The professor tells me "It looked like you were having a seizure or stroke."

"Hua?" I say a bit panicked. "I-I I mean...Just...a really bad dream."

"If the trauma of loosing your sister is that severe, Ruby, then maybe you should see a doctor...or, in worse case scenario, choose to leave the academy."

"Why's that?!" I demand.

"Because, a proper young huntress cannot let her emotions get the best of her. Post Traumatic Stress is among the worst for crippling proper huntsmen and huntresses. I do hope it wasn't that."

"I...I do too..." I state. "Me...me too."

The professor quickly goes back on another lecture. When it's safe again, I lean towards the others "I heard Yang's scream." I tell them, blankly. I'm expecting them to write it off as stress or insanity...but surprisingly, they look at each other for a moment, then me. "...You heard it too?" Blake asks.

"Wait, you heard her?!"

"Weiss and I...we heard _something_ then... we couldn't tell what it was. You're certain it was Yang's screaming?"

"She was screaming for help, I heard it clear as day..." I look out the window...and my eyes spot something in the very far distance. Just then the professor turns around to talk to the pilot. "Hey look!" I say, pointing "Isn't that a house?!"

The lean in closer to the window with me to try and see. "...That _is_ a house!" Blake says in realization.

"What's a house doing out here in the middle of nowhe-"

...there's no need to answer that question. We already know the answer. I look at Weiss and Blake...and they're returning a determined look at me. "Hey, I'm not going to back out of what I said, Ruby." Weiss says "This...I don't know what's got into me, if I've gone mad or anything, but...it's got to be her! We've got to be passing right by her!"

"Thank you..." I say, then I turn to Blake. "Hey Blake, granted I don't have the space to...how fast is your quick-draw?"

"Faster than even _your_ eye could track." she says with a grin.

"Alright...If we mess this up...or get caught before we reach Yang...we're in for it." I state "And...you all are sure you're ok with that?"

"My father would be furious with me...but i'm doing it for a great cause. I don't care if i'm living up to his expectations of a Schnee... Heck, if worse comes to worse, I'll move in with you."

"I think you'd like our house." I state with a smile "It's very...family-quaint."

"Have room for one more?" Blake asks.

"If you'll share the couch with Weiss."

Weiss gives a strange smile. "Hey, whatever needs to be done to find Yang, sacrifices will be made."

"Alright...Let's do this then."

I began to slowly lean back in my chair, as if trying to relax or slouch. Blake begins to do similarly, but reaches her right hand over her back, acting if she is trying to scratch her back...but ready to grab her weapon in a moment's notice. Weiss leans forwards, drooping her head...but she's got a sharp eye on the professor. We're watching her left hand's five displayed fingers. They slowly count down. 5...4...3...2...1...0!

Next I know, Blake's leaped from her seat and at the doors, causing them to open. I'm the first to fly towards the door and leap out, immediately followed by Blake then Weiss, despite the professor's shock and pleading. "WE'RE COMING, YANG!" I scream after we've all jumped from our vehicle. We fall towards the ground below, ready to charge into the unknown, on what we feel is more than a whim...but our only chance at saving Yang.


	8. DisclaimerFAQ

This is the disclaimer page about this story, Loosing Hope. There will be a few things I'd like to bring across about this story, so let's get started.

Why is it so dark?

Loosing Hope is intended to be dark as the title says. In my mind, truly dark evil doesn't have any limits. True evil wishes to cause as much harm as physically possible, even mentally possible. If you look at Volume 3 of RWBY, things got dark, and I feel they're going to get darker. Yet, as loyal fans, we held on. Things get better eventually for Team RWBY. This story is built upon the old biblical principle (also a age and time-tested one) of "Trials make you stronger". If you're a true RWBY fan, then you'll support RWBY through their dark times, on a marvelous and strange adventure across time and space, existence itself as they etch their place in eternity.

Where's the Monster Hunter?

Monster Hunter comes in later. Mild spoiler: this is an interdimensional story. You'll see more of Monster Hunter when things... "die down" in Remnant.

How big is this story?

Quite big. Several chapters long and spans three dimensions (Yes, this is a more than two-way crossover. It's also a crossover with my other works).

Do you like dark things?

Actually no. I take things I know are absolutely horrifying and horrible and write them into my stories for a reason. As I said, I am trying to bring across _true evil_. An evil which cares absolutely nothing about any consequence, and believes upon nothing but getting what it wants, and doing whatever it needs necessary to accomplish that task. I often find myself verbally rehearsing lines of both protagonists and antagonists so that they sound the way I want them to.

Does it really get any better?

Absolutely. Several events in my multiple stories are inspired by real life. Team RWBY might be down in the depths of a pit for a while, but they'll get back out. It might take a while, but I'm fairly confident you'll like what happens in the end.

You're keeping things obscure for a reason, aren't you?

Yup.

I'm going to go ahead and get this out there: if you're not a fan of dark works and don't want to see your waifu, bae, or your favorite character getting hurt, this isn't the story for you. Yet if you believe your favorite characters are strong enough to overcome any threat, as they are canonically seeming to do... if you want to see them take on new threats bigger and unlike anything they've seen before...if you want to see them etch their place in interdimensional history, and existence itself...then welcome. Trust me when I say things get better, especially in the continuing two books. Thank you for giving me the chance of reading my story. If it is not your cup of tea, I completely understand. If you read it but can't take it after a while, thank you so much for giving me a shot. I hope you like what i've been working hard to accomplish.

Thank you so much, and I'll take any criticism you'll give me. I hope you enjoy Loosing Hope.


	9. 86, Part 5

I-I must be going mad. I swore I could hear Ruby's voice. It's startled me to the point I actually stop running, as if to hear her familiar voice again...something tells me to look up. I look up into the sky... and from that airship...there's three specs falling to the ground below...and on one of them, I can barely make out what seems to be...the visage of a cape. I...I can't move...It...it _IS_ them! Something just powers me, and I begin to run despite the pain. I'm running as fast as I can, through the forest, in a frantic flurry. I only know the general direction of where they were landing. I keep going that direction as quick as I can, coming to clearing with a river running through it...a river, around 100 ft wide, that keeps me from getting to the other side. There's no way I could swim through that, being pregnant with Celeste. I'm frantically trying to think of a way across...but then a howl stops my thought process...that howl...it's only one thing. I turn towards the forest, and sure enough, it's a pack of 10 Beowolves, lead by an Alpha. I begin backing up towards the river, as the pack of Grimm slowly encloses me, The Alpha up front. Each one of them growling...they don't want to kill me, but they're hell-bent on bringing me back to the house. I ready my gauntlets, but I don't know if i'll even be much of a match, especially in my state...even drained of my semblance. I...I just know I can't let them take me! I'm too close! I...I've got to go in, then. I take a step back, ready to leap into the river...but I hear something breaching the surface. I turn around, and i'm greeted with a massive, armored head atop an oblong body. The head of the creature is heavily armored, and the back, which lacks the same bone plating, is studded with Spikes...there are external gills, behind it's armor plating, where the head meets the virtually nonexistent neck. It's mouth contains one hell of a smile: a vicious set of bone shears instead of teeth...I know this. This is a Grimm Ramone himself made...a species called the Lockjaw. I suddenly start backing away from the river, towards the Beowolves, trying to avoid this much more dangerous Elder Lockjaw, who must be around 50ft from head to tail. It slowly climbs ashore using it's four stocky legs, and begins to swing it's spiked tail behind itself, aggressively, while opening it's mouth. It growls and snaps it's jaws at me, as if daring me to try and head into the river. I'm caught between a Lockjaw and and a pack of Beowolves...what do I do?! I frantically try to find any sort of escape...but there is none. I...I can't help but drop to my knees, and I begin to weep. I'm cornered, and I know it. I could try to fight, but...even I know that is hopeless. I hear the footfalls of the Lockjaw as it gets closer...I look up, only to look directly into it's terrifying face. It growls as it looms over me...I simply lower my head once more, ready to give in, despite being so close to freedom...and...then there's something...it's the same warmth as earlier. I then hear the sound of what seems to be the growl of the Lockjaw...and I look up at it. It seems to take a step back, and shakes it's head side to side...before the red lines on it's mask turn gold. The entire creature then seems to look at me differently...with a strange compassion. It then...begins to try and shelter me, by walking beside me, tail curled to shield me...from the Beowolves. It growls and roars at the Beowolves who do the same back to it. It bends it's head down next to me...it wants me to climb on. Without hesitation, I climb right onto the head of the elder Lockjaw, hold on at the back of it's head. The Bewolves suddenly attack, charging at all angles. Right as they get close, the Lockjaw suddenly inhales, then snaps it's mouth shut, shooting a close-range sonic blast that deals with the majority of the Beowolves in one hit. Only two more remain. One tries to jump onto the Lockjaw from one side, but is bitten in half by the Lockjaw's incredibly lethal jaws. The other jumps onto the creature, landing right beside me. A single punch and shot from Ember Celica is what sends it flying back off the Lockjaw, who finishes it off with a vicious, spiked tail swing. Is...Is this Lockjaw protecting me because of Celeste? Or...Is Celeste making the Lockjaw protect me? Is she really that aware, without even being born? The Lockjaw turns, me on it's back, and heads back into the river, before briskly swimming upstream, and the direction I need to go. I can't tell how long we're on the river before it finally swims ashore. It starts attempting to press onward towards the correct direction...but a massive Goliath that emerges from the forest has other ideas. The Lockjaw once again goes into an offensive position...but it lowers it's head...I can see the nearby woods. The Lockjaw can distract the Goliath while I go around. It's the one shot I've got. I leap off the Lockjaw and begin running, which causes the Goliath to charge. The Lockjaw roars and charges it in response, as the two creatures begin to clash. Their fight is just enough to help me sneak around them and escape. I keep running, nonstop, despite the pain in my stomach that all this running is causing me. I'm...I'm receiving assistance to escape from my _unborn daughter_. I _have_ to escape, for the both of us! I can just tell throughout all this...she doesn't want to end up succumbing to Cradylik either, somehow...and she's doing her own best, somehow, to ease my pain. I keep running and running in the same direction...I...have to be getting somewhere. I can't stop running, not while i'm so close. I'll keep running all over this valley, day and night, until I find them! I have to!

Ruby's running like a madman, even without her semblance. It's hard for even me to keep up for her, slightly. The main thing that's been on my mind is the amount of Grimm that are in these woods. We haven't even been in the woods for ten minutes, and we've already ran into Creeps, Ursa, and Beowolves. Ruby especially tears through them all without hesitation, as if out of spite, even. We finally emerge into a large clearing, where Ruby seems to stop to catch her breath, finally winded from all of her running. Weiss and I are also appreciative of the break. "Am I the only one who is freaked out by the amount of Grimm running around here?" Weiss asks. I nod in response to her "Grimm prefer to dwell in areas of malice or hatred, where evil itself is present. This at first glance would appear to be a peaceful valley, but the presence of Grimm in such numbers...it's alarming."

"It's Ramone." Ruby says angrily, leaning on Crescent Rose "He's controlling Grimm."

"Ruby, please. We're on the brink of freeing Yang. Everything's fitting everything we already know: abundant Grimm, isolated location, located in the southeast...It all fits, Ruby. Please, keep your wits about you. Don't go mad on us when we're so close."

"Go mad?!" Ruby snaps "Me go mad?! I-" she suddenly stops, and takes a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, before opening them. "...It's just we're soo close." She states. "We're so close, and I know it. I can feel Yang nearby. I just don't want to loose her when I'm so close to finding her. I just wish I could run through this forest forever to find her...but I can't, and I won't push you to do the same...but...let me make one thing clear. What you just did...what we're doing...if we don't find Yang, it's a big probability we're getting expelled from Beacon. Or, if we get overwhelmed by Grimm out here...worse. It really does mean a lot to me...and despite how much you and I have fought, Weiss...and despite the fact we had our massive fight earlier and the fact you were in the White Fang, Blake... you two are the kindest people I've met in my entire life. I'm really... really thankful I have you two not just as friends... but teammates. There's no wonder we do so good, especially together like this."

"The best of friends make the best of allies." I reply. "A true friend will do anything for those they truly love and care for. We're not just going to let the opportunity to retrieve Yang pass by."

"Blake's right." Weiss replies. "Ruby, I'll admit, I'm sorry that I treated you the way I have...but, actions speak louder than words. If I say it, I have to show it. I'll admit, whether we rescue Yang or not, my father will be furious...but to be honest, in a matter like this... he can kiss my ass."

"Now _that_ is how you stick up to your father, Weiss." Ruby says with a few nods. "Really...thank you both for doing this with me."

"As long as we find Yang," I state "It doesn't matter in the end."

"That attitude will take us far, I think." Weiss replies "We can't be Team RWBY without Yang...and now we're so close to finding her! I for one share your desire to be able to endlessly search this area until we find her...but we do need breaks to keep from pushing ourselves...breaks like this."

"I...Think I've got my breath back..." Ruby says "But...my legs are killing me. Guess this is a really good cardio workout..."

"If anything." I say, as we all laugh a little. "Now, the house should still be ahead. You alright?"

"Yeah, let's keep going."

"YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!"

Shit, that voice. We turn, and sure enough, it's the professor. We try to make a break for it, but then there's an explosion in front of us, fired from his weapon. He's next to us in a heartbeat. "TEAM RWBY!" He roars "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?"

None of us can say anything, at least, anything worthwhile. Thus, we keep our mouths shut. The professor is going _off_ on us, screaming as he reprimands us. "Do you have _any_ idea how foolish of a decision that was?!" Ruby tries to say something, but she's cut-off. "This is what I was afraid of, Ms. Rose. Your fervor for trying to find your sister has driven you to make foolhardy decisions, also effecting your physical state of health. I'm even more shocked to see that this infantile behavior has spread to even your fellow teammates! What is the matter with you?!"

"I-I-I"

"MS. ROSE!"

"YANG IS OUT HERE!" Ruby finally hollers back, to his face. "I heard Yang's voice!"

"...You heard...your sister's voice?"

"Yes!"

"And that...was enough...to cause you and your teammates to jump from a moving transport vehicle?"

"Coupled with the random house in the middle of nowhere and the fact there are Grimm all over the place?! Of course! Even the Emerald and Forever Fall Forest didn't have this many Grimm! Doesn't that sound funny?!"

"What strikes me odd...is how _mentally degraded you and your team have become._ "

"S...S-Sir?"

"It was truly a sight to see the three of you so eager to find your team-mate at the start of this whole predicament. You had the faculty's support, but then when it soon became obvious what happened...I'm all for not giving up hope, Ruby...But believing the impossible is something I cannot get behind."

"Isn't not giving up hope the same thing as believing the impossible?!"

"Ruby...You, Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Schnee have become mentally ill from your fervor to try to find your comrade...but, I'm sorry to say, there's nothing else that can be done. We will try to give you the help you three need...but I'm sorry to say, the reprimanding is not over. Once we get back to Beacon...I'm sorry to state, but for this act, you will most likely not be allowed back in Beacon, or any School for Huntsmen."

"I...I-I don't care." Ruby says, crying. "That can't stop me. I'm going to keep looking for Yang. We all are, no matter what. Yang is alive!-"

"Your sister is _gone_ , Ruby."

"W...w-what?"

"Ms. Rose, the evidence is abundant. There's nothing that can be done to retrieve your sister. She's gone, I'm afraid."

I...Want to try and say something, but i'm soo full of emotion I can't speak. Weiss is the same, as well. We all just stand there, as if wanting to do something, but we can't move. Weiss and I are also crying, as is Ru-...Ruby's tears have stopped as she bows her head. Slowly, she lifts her head back up, as it begins shaking. At first, I feel she's shaking because she's so emotional...but no. Her eyes...they're red again. Tears are on the edge of her eyes as she puts both hands on Crescent Rose...she's aware of what she's doing, and she's fighting back against it. The professor steps back slightly "Ruby, that would be a terrible decision...don't do that. You know what would happen if you did that. I'm sorry I've said the obvious... but it's only to help you. Please, stop this madness."

"T...T-TAKE IT BACK." Ruby says low, her voice slightly altered. Her scythe begins to slowly arch in segments back, as her body slowly enters a ready-to-strike position. The professor shakes his head. "Ruby, please. Calm down now. You know that's a bad idea. If I could make Yang come back for you all, I would. Yet, even I know I can't change the inevitable. Ruby, put your weapon down before you do something you regret." Weiss and I can't move or speak. Yet...something pops into my mind. H... _have_ we really gone mad?...Did I _really_ hear Yang's voice earlier?...no...no, I did. It _was_ her, even if I didn't hear it clearly. She's out here. I tighten my grip on my weapons to try and calm myself, which immediately draws the professor's attention, before a shift in stance draws him back to Ruby. Shit, now I've made him feel like he also needs to worry about me. He keeps an eye on Weiss as well as he tries to reason with Ruby. Ruby lowers her head and does a very, very slow blink, closing her eyes for about five seconds. She lifts her eyes and opens her head, trying so hard to fight back what's controlling her. Her hand slowly moves further up the shaft of Crescent Rose. Yet just then, something bursts from forest a distance behind the professor. At first I think it's a Grimm, but then we see it.

It's _Yang_.


	10. 86, part 6

She bursts from the foliage, stumbling a few feet, before collapsing onto her knees. I...I can't even think straight. All I can do is focus on her as she pants heavily from running. The red in Ruby's eyes immediately left the second she saw Yang...and she drops Crescent Rose. Her face is indescribable.

"Y...Yang?"

Yang flinches upon hearing her name being called by a familiar voice. She quickly looks our way, seeing our stunned faces. She immediately is brought to tears. "R..R-Ruby?"

Ruby flies over to her sister in a heartbeat, getting on her knees and throwing her arms around Yang, before beginning to cry hysterically. Yang also quickly embraces her sister and begins crying uncontrollably, but nowhere near the degree of Ruby's crying. Weiss and I immediately run over to Yang and also throw our arms around her, also beginning to weep with joy. The professor simply stands there, stunned. Ruby smiles, her forehead touching Yang's own. "We found you, Yang." she says weakly. "We found you, sis."

"Thank you...thank you so much."

It's just then...we all notice...Yang's stomach, bulging out as if she were-?! Slowly we back up a bit. "Y...Yang?" Ruby asks "W...what's wrong with you?..."

She gives an uneasy smile, standing onto her own feet. "I..it's hard to explain...but...it is what it looks. Ruby, you're going to be an aunt."

Ruby's stunned silent. She doesn't know what to think, but i'm the next to speak. "D-did...did Ramone force...himself on you?"

"Not...at first." Yang says hesitantly. "And, this baby...please, again, it's hard to describe, but..."

"Yang, you are nine months term in only three months." The professor says. "You need to explain now." Yang takes a few moments, clearing her throat. "O...Ok. In a nutshell...my daughter in me, Celeste, is ok...but...there is a world-destroying monster created to specifically destroy Remnant and other worlds attached to her."

Nobody says anything at first. Yang sighs.

"I...can try to say what Ramone said. Remnant is our world...but Epsylan is the dimension which contains it. Dimensions only last on a... 'run' so long. When a run is over, the dimension re-starts, although there may be slight changes each time...the first run of a dimension is the blueprint, and the final, eternal run is what lasts forever, where peace is finally achieved for eternity. This is not the eternal run, i'm afraid, but...see, Epyslan is aparantly aware, somehow...sentiently aware. Apparently, Epsylan chose me to...be the bearer of some sort of incredible power that would, upon awakening, undoubtedly ensure peace and solitude for Epsylan's eternity, throughout all runs. Yet...then in came Ramone, who wooed me with charm, spells, and magic...he is indeed, a monster maker, but one far beyond what you could think. He...there is something attached to my child. This monster...Cradylik, he calls it, stole all of my power upon my daughter's conception, magnified it, and put it into my daughter- it's own vessel. My daughter has the capability to do what I could, protecting Epsylan for eternity...or, if and when Cradylik appears; destroy Epyslan, and dimensions throughout existence, for all of eternity."

Again, nobody says anything...but Ruby speaks first. "is...there a way to keep...the monster away from my niece? To keep her from turning into the...Cradylik?"

"She grows quickly, if you can't guess..." Yang says "So...when Celeste becomes 16, is when Cradylik takes over. Yet...there _is_ a way to stop Cradylik. When Celeste is born, if she's raised without Ramone present, Cradylik doesn't have the power he needs to remain existent without his appropriate mature host. If we were to raise Celeste right, and keep her away from Ramone, Cradylik will perish and Celeste would be protecting Remnant and Epsylan, instead of myself. Yet, if Celeste is raised with Ramone present...there will be no saving her."

"Well..." Ruby says with a strange smile, wiping away a tear. "Then that's what we'll do. We'll raise Celeste to be a proper little girl, even if...i have to drop out of Beacon to help do that. Hey, it's for the better of Celeste and...for Remnant too, so, why not? Besides, Beacon would be a great place for Celeste to learn and harness her powers, if anywhere. That and...I'll try to be the best, and most fun aunt I ever could...seriously!"

"I...Don't doubt it." Yang replies.

"I mean..." Weiss replies "As...weird, and even scary as it all is...the evidence is in front of us. I think... maybe helping to raise Celeste could teach me to be a little more humble and gentle. I...could do my best to help out, and it could be a learning experience for me too."

"I've...never had much interaction with kids or babies." I state "But, Yang...i know things don't happen for no reason. Fate and Destiny are strange, different from each other, and hard to tell apart...but they always come around. I guess like Weiss said...it will be a learning experience. Yet...I'll do my part to help raise her."

"Undoubtedly, as soon as Professor Ozpin is aware of the situation, he will be willing to offer full condolences and assistance." our Professor says. Yang smiles warmly, but...she still cries. "Thank you..." she says "But...it's just that...when Celeste is born...I will die."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby says, panicking. "What do you mean you're gonna die when you have Celeste?"

"...part of the curse of bearing Cradylik. To prevent Celeste's powers from flowing back to their proper owner by Celeste's own will or not. To keep them there, at Cradylik's disposal if Ramone succeeds. Also...as punishment and torture for Epsylan to choose me...as...well as to be...torn from you all forever."

"S...sis..." Ruby says "I...I can't loose you again! I _just got you back_!" Ruby whines, throwing herself on her sister again. "There's nothing that can be done to stop that?! Nothing?!"

"...No. I...I'm soo sorry Ruby. I want Celeste, to be honest. I really do...but, I don't want the monster within her. I'd love to raise Celeste with your help, but...there's no way."

"Not by nature, anyway." the professor said. I whirl around as the others do. "Wait...professor..." I say getting a little angry "Are you...suggesting Yang have an abortion?!"

"No, not in the slightest." he tells us warmly. "Simply put, perhaps if Yang undergoes Cesarean Section, it won't trigger that fatal flaw."

"Wait, what's that?"Ruby asks curiously. I'm the only one who knows, apparently, what our professor is talking about. I smile "Basically, surgically going in and removing Celeste instead of waiting for her to come out naturally!"

"Y-you think it could work?!" Yang asks desperately. The professor smiles at us "In all theory, perhaps. Although, time is of the essence, Yang. We won't know until we get back to Beacon. Speaking of...i apologize for what I said. I really do. You were all right about Yang after all. Your safety and the safeguarding of Celeste will be of top priority when we return. The ship is a few yards away. We'll climb back aboard and make sure you're far away from Ramone."

We're all delighted. "Thank you, professor!" Yang says, smiling warmly, and crying. "Thank you all...so much!"

"Let's go, Yang!" Ruby says, slinging Yang's arm over her shoulder. "We don't have time to loose! Let's get you back home!"

Weiss puts Yang's other arm over her own shoulders, and she and Ruby begin helping Yang off towards the professor. I'm right behind them all as we frantically scramble for the transport ship. We've rescued Yang, finally. Ruby's still crying from seeing Yang again...we all are. We help Yang into the transport, and the vehicle slowly begins to ascend into the air. Yet, just as we're lifting off the ground...there's a massive earthquake. "Get us out of here!" Our professor orders the pilot. We start ascending into the sky quickly, as the very earth beneath us begins to buckle and move. It's as if something completely massive is moving the very forest around us. We see Grimm everywhere running for their lives...and then the terrified look on Yang's face, as if she realizes something. "Y...you really _are_ going to play hard, aren't you Ramone?..." she says. Ruby tries to ask Yang what she means, but she's inturrupted by a rumble...which turns out to be a very loud roar. Just as we've risen around 300 ft into the air, a long, black tendril of a shape bursts from the earth into the air. It's as if it's a colossal root...but at the end, is a gaping mouth with a Grimm's mask. It grabs a hold of the rear of our ship from above, holding us in place. With another roar, a large, black shape emerges from the ground...It appears a massive, truly living plant. A tall "stem" of a body, with an orange, glowing, vine-covered core at the base in the center. Halfway up the colossal creature, two branch-like tentacles extend. From those dangle moss-like protrusions. Down the back appears a visage of petal-like scales...and atop it all, a large, white mask of a peculiar shape, curved to a point, and segmented, as if it were a giant flower bud. More of these root-like tentacles begin to rise up from the earth around it, and the collosal Grimm looks up towards us. It's eyespots seem to shine for a moment, and then, the flower blooms. It opens up, revealing the "mask-bud" to be it's mouth. Underneath a terrible, hellish mouth with four main "petals" and four smaller ones, the interior of all are lined with innumerable, sharp teeth. Where the center of the flower would be is a massive gullet, lined with teeth on all ends, and three long, whiplike tongues that emerge from it. I'm completely terrified by this true monstrosity of a Grimm. "R...Rafflesia!" Yang said. "Ramone made that Grimm specifically to take on cities like Vale!"

Ramone _made that Grimm?!_

Suddenly, we notice something. Another tentacle, mouth wide-open, flying at the open door. The professor, Ruby, Weiss, and I all fire our weapons, the impacts hitting the vine's mouth interior and causing it to stop it's attack, retreating. "Shit." Yang says "Ramone's so confident he sends _that_ thing to get me back?!..."

"That's what all the Grimm were doing?!" Weiss said "Trying to reclaim you for Ramone?!"

"Yes, but if we don't deal with Rafflesia now, she'll chase us all the way back to Vale!"

"Then we _DEAL WITH HER!_ " Ruby screams, turning Crescent Rose into it's full scythe form, and leaping out of the open door. She delivers a vicious slash so powerful it almost severs the vine attached to our ship completely. Rafflesia screams and lets go of our ship, as that vine plummets to the ground. Ruby follows right after, hell bent on her own, rage-induced David vs Goliath matchup. "RUBY NO!" Yang screams, and I try to jump down with Weiss after Ruby, but Rafflesia sends more vines our way, forcing our ship's pilot to take evasive action. Yang's panicking. She knows things about this Grimm that we don't, things that could very well mean it's death or our own. "C'mon Yang!" I say "Ruby will be ok! Just like we knew you'd be ok in the end, too! She's not a kid anymore!"

"I-I'm not...I know you're right, just...kill it before it kills her!"

It's not like we can jump out again if we'd want to now, especially with Rafflesia not cooperating. If the five+ of us are doing anything to help, it's from the air. I really do hope Ruby knows what she's going in to! I have to put my faith in Ruby, like I've done when it comes to finding Yang, that she will be ok. I reload my weapon as the Professor and Weiss stand ready. "BRING IT ON YOU OVERGROWN WEED!" Weiss screams as loud as she can.

I land on one of the Grimm's massive roots. Immediately, I can sense something in the air. Looking around, I can see a few strange clouds emitting from the roots of the Grimm...toxic gas! Instinctively, I pull up the front of my hood to try and cover my mouth and nose. It makes a much more drastic difference than I thought it would, as it becomes easier for me to breathe. I begin running towards the center shaft of the creature, with a plan in mind to gut this colossal nightmare by it's glowing chest vent. I look up into the air, only to see various shots coming from Blake, Weiss, and the professor at the Rafflesia, which only seem to irritated it. The ship constantly does evasive maneuvers to evade Rafflessia's onslaught of attacks. It's like we're not even doing anything to it, other then making it angry. I have to figure out some way to bring this thing down! Attrition will only do so much! I continue to run towards the Grimm's body, up it's roots. Suddenly, there's a strange noise, when much smaller roots suddenly sprout from in front of me and fly at me. I cut through them all with Crescent Rose, only to have more in my way. I cut through this plethora of vines as much as I can, until it seems like I've finally fought my way through. I'm right at the creature's base. If only I can-?! Suddenly, two of the smaller vines wrap around my waist. Four more suddenly wrap around my arms and legs. I can't move at all. One of the vine's heads now positions itself directly in front of my face. It hisses at me, as one of the vines suddenly sinks it's teeth into my right arm. I immediately feel the pain, but I look at my right hand, and I can see many of my blood vessels within it turning a dark, black color. It's an entire pain that now begins to ache throughout my body as other heads sink their fangs into my limbs. I can see my face in the reflections of the head looking into my eyes. Black lines are beginning to run across my own face, and my eyes begin to turn red. I try to struggle back as much as I can, but this pain paralyzes me into place. I...I feel...as if it's _turning me into something_. I'm terrified as I try to fight back. I can only do minor reflexes...wait...I look at Crescent Rose, and the direction i'm stuck holding it. It looks like as if I could...taking a gamble for my life, I barely muster the strength to pull the trigger on Crescent Rose. The shot flies up, and hits one of the eyes on Rafflesia's open petals. The entire Grimm reacts, screeching in pain, and causing the vines to let go of me. Immediately the black lines begin to fade and I can feel myself in full control, as I swing around and cut down all of the vines around me. I continue to dash towards the chest vent. At the base of one of the creature's colossal roots, my eye catches something. A large, tumor-like growth, around half as big as a full-grown man. Despite it's size, it's barely noticeable on the creature's already bumpy and irregular body. I make my point to attack it as I carry on, past it. In my flyby slash, the second Crescent Rose pierces the skin of the swelling, there's a strange, black liquid that begins to spray out, but I keep going,slashing off the whole top of the tumor. Despite the size, Rafflesia reacts as if I had stabbed it in the heart, shrieking very loudly in pain. Looking back at the decapitated tumor, it spits a geyser of that strange black gunk as it shrivels up. My eyes scan the area frantically for more of these weak points, whatever they are. I make out several on my advance up the creature's body and begin to slash them all apart as I tear from cyst to cyst, cutting them open. Rafflesia's painful, violent reactions are music to my ears. I'm close to that glowing vent now. Across the vines on them, I see many, MANY of these stress-caused cysts. I climb quickly to get to these weakpoints...but suddenly, without warning, I'm grabbed again by more of these smaller vines. They wrap around my waist, arms, and legs. Once again, a vine's head greets me only to mock me as the vines sink their fangs into my arms and legs once again. I can feel that black pain coursing through me again...and this time, they've even bound Crescent Rose. I struggle to try and find a way to break free...but this time, there _IS_ no way to break free. My body is locking up. Some of my skin itself is beginning to turn black...and I can feel myself getting _incredibly angry._ I try to fight it, to no avail...but then, somehow, my eyes change color, to their normal silver, and I note a strange glow coming from them. Just then, the black on my body begins to disappear, until it's completely gone. The head in front of me is angry, panicking, even, that it's somehow unable to transform me into whatever It was attempting to turn me into. It then gets an angry, furious look at me and growls. As it does, I see a puff of that toxic gas. Suddenly, it flies at me, biting me. It's mouth covers my own mouth, and somehow, forces my mouth open. Next I know, there's a torrent of this toxic gas flowing down my throat in copious amounts. I try to fight back, maybe somehow get my eyes to do more than just prevent my transformation, but nothing happens...I...can feel myself...going limp..

I'm scared to death. I can't make out Ruby anymore. If those toxic gasses haven't gotten her yet, or the smaller vines...no, I've got to keep believing in my sister. Despite...knowing what that gas can do. Without Ruby's trained eye taking out the stress-induced cysts on Rafflesia, we're back to throwing pebbles at a damn wall of living steel. I'm watching the others desperately try and take out Rafflesia, as the pilot and co-pilot try to radio for backup, but they can't get a signal through. What's worse, is i'd help...but now i'm undergoing my own personal battle. Cradylik's back, and I can feel him not just attacking me...but Celeste as well. The warmth has dimmed, but it's still there, along with furious slashes tearing my insides to shreds. Yet, I fight on, trying to act as if I were perfectly fine, to the best of my ability. It seems, that the more defiant I am of Cradylik...the weaker he becomes. I can hear his ungodly roars as he tears my insides and attacks myself and my daughter. " C'mon baby..." I say, talking to Celeste, as I cry. "We're stronger than him. He's nothing without you. He needs you, you _don't need him._ Please, Celeste. You've helped me be stronger already...I...I want to somehow find a way to make you stronger too. Please, Celeste...know I'm going to be with you no matter what!" I can feel the warmth within me slowly growing as Cradylik's roars become more distant, and the tearing goes away. A sudden jolt from the ship brings me to consciousness of the situation again. I look around myself, and note how dangerously close to Rafflesia we've become. I'm too sore to try and fire my own weapons, and can just sit there, immobilized by pain and pregnancy, to watch the others struggle onward. I remember Ramone talking about this one extensively one time. This one, if I recall correctly, is bigger than a normal one. The only allowed "Elder" of the species. The only difference in the two, a drastic change in size. For a "normal" Rafflessia, they are barely more than 150 ft tall, with fangs a little taller than a fully grown man...this one has to be around 300ft tall. The size of this thing is terrifying, to say the least. Rafflesia is the only one of her kind due to what Ramone has called "A rush in planning for our main victory", probably, due to the fact i'm to give birth any day soon...Suddenly a main tentacle grabs the ship from above, and then Rafflessia begins to slowly pull the ship towards it's open mouth. Shooting blindly does nothing, and I don't have Ruby's eagle eyes, I can't find a single weakspot that can be exploited successfully. However...I get an idea. "Weiss!" I utter, grabbing her attention "Freeze it's tongues!"

She attempts to do just that, shooting a blast of ice dust right at the Grimm's three tongues which emerge from the unholy creature's gullet. Sure enough, the tongues freeze, to Rafflesia's confusion. The professor immediately catches on, and with a single shot from his weapon, the explosion destroys all three of Rafflesia's tongues. The colossal Grimm shrieks in pain, before it's tentacles and petals go limp, the red lights on it's masks, and the vent on it's front dimming. "D...Did we kill it?" Weiss asks, gasping for air. I look at the dead creature...it has to be. I nod "i...I think so. Now we just need to find Ruby. Hurry!"

"Bring us in closer, but be careful!" The professor tells the pilot. We begin to circle around Rafflesia, trying to spot Ruby somewhere on the titanic carcass. I can't tell how many times we circle the creature, calling Ruby's name. We must be on our thirty-something pass, when suddenly, there's a loud boom of an explosion, as one of Rafflesia's tentacles bursts from the ground and grazes the side of the ship, knocking us closer to the creature's mouth, which begins to open, as the entire creature drops it's guise of death. The pilot pulls up, but suddenly, a tongue shoots out and grabs the bottom of our airship. The jolt from this-! Sends Weiss out the open door! Weiss screams as tries to turn around midfall, and tries to grab on to the edge of the ship. She barely does in time, as I grab a hold of Weiss's hand, trying to pull her up. Suddenly, there's another tongue which also grabs the bottom of the ship...and a third which flies up and wraps _itself around Weiss's waist._ Weiss screams in sheer terror, the Grimm's vicious maw beneath us. "HELP ME! HELP ME!" She screams "SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT! STOP IT!" Weiss tries kicking the creature's tongue, Blake tries stabbing and slashing at the tongue, but it does little. Nothing works, no matter what we try. The entire creature is pulling our whole airship down into the reach of it's vicious maw slowly. It's as if it's trying to force us to make a terrible decision: Weiss or ourselves. We're not going to let Weiss get eaten alive. We fight back to both break free of the creature's grip, and free Weiss at the same time. Yet, if we break free before Weiss is freed...Weiss continues to scream nonstop, begging and pleading for us to stop Rafflesia. We continue to near and near the deadly, unholy maw of Rafflesia, against our will, getting dragged into hellish oblivion.

A scream brings me to my senses. Slowly, I begin to awake, atop one of Rafflesia's massive roots. As my vision clears, I look up towards the beast's head...and I see a terrifying sight: Weiss, grabbed by one of Rafflesia's tongues, and the massive beast has a hold of the airship, too. Rafflesia begins to slowly close it's mouth as it reels them all in. I can't let them! I jump up onto my feet, Crescent Rose in hand, and fire three shots up towards Rafflesia's head. Three shots, three tongues: each shot rips straight through each tongue, severing them. Rafflesia screams in pain as the ship manages to escape it's jaws. Weiss is quickly hauled back up into the ship in the nick of time. I...I don't know how...but I can feel the leer of rage come from my eyes. I don't know exactly how i'm alive...but I am, somehow, and I know it's to save Yang from Ramone. With a rage i'd never thought myself capable of having, I scream in fury while leaping towards the core of Rafflesia.

Ruby's alive! I look down from the ship to try and find her...but all I see is not exactly my sister, but rather, a red blur which flies around the core vent of Rafflesia. I see spurts of the grimm's blood as my sister tears across the roots over rafflesia's vent, and the colossal grim writhes and shrieks in pain. Once all of those "weak spots" over the vent have been torn open, I see my sister, the fastest she's ever been, flying all over the body of Rafflesia, cutting it in every possible location. My...my one sister...is killing this colossal monster singlehandedly. Suddenly, Ruby flies behind Rafflesia, and then there's a massive splatter of black blood from the back of it's neck. Rafflesia's chest vent, once glowing a fierce, vibrant orange-red, immediately dims into blackness. Rafflesia's vines drop to the ground as the entire creature's body begins to fall forwards. Ruby runs along the back of the creature and uses it's head in a massive leap directly into our transport. She lands with her weapon drawn, her right hand helping her ease her landing by catching herself on the floor of the vehicle. She slowly stands, her eyes closed, as her weapon turns into it's rifle form. With Crescent Rose as a rifle now in front of her, Ruby pulls back it's bolt, loading a bullet into the weapon's chamber. She opens her eyes and looks up at me, defiantly, and determined...some sort of bold defiance, unlike anything I've seen before, burns in her eyes. She's smirking at me. "Ramone's going to have to put up a better fight than that if he thinks he can threaten our world and take you from me again."she says. "I won't let him, Yang. I'd rather die."

"Ruby-"

"She's not alone in that." Blake cuts me off. She folds the blade of her weapon back and reloads a magazine into her gun. "We've been with her this whole time. We're not going back now that you're here."

"And with us working together, there's no way in hell any of us our dying." Weiss says, flipping her rapier once, and holding it defiantly by her side. "We're a team, Yang. We're not going to loose you again, and we're certainly not going to let Ramone get away with any of this."

I begin to cry, seeing them like this. The professor looks towards the pilot. "Head back to Vale. Let them know we've found Yang Xiao Long, and to have an ambulance for her ready immediately."

"M...Make it two." I stutter. They look at me, and Ruby tilts her head. "Why's that, Yang?"

"Heh...safety...precaution...you don't want that poison to liquefy you from the inside out, do you?"

They seem startled to hear that. "...How would you know that?" the professor asks.

"Heh...well...you...get to learn...a lot of things about Ramone's creations when you're forced to be his devoted and loving housewife...You...you've got time, Ruby, so..."

Ruby closes her eyes a moment, then puts Crescent Rose in it's gun form on her left shoulder, opening her eyes, with another defiant, but softer smile. "I don't care if I turn into mush." she says somewhat softly. "If I turn into mush to save you, then I do." she says, walking over to me as I remain seated in my chair. "That's all that matters to me."

"...Ruby, just as much as you don't want to loose me again, I don't want to loose you." I said. "I'm hopeful our gameplan works...but...I don't want you to be so willing to die-"

"Yang, nobody wants to die. Yet...you and others told me I have to grow up sooner or later." she says, sitting next to me, a caring smile on her face. "This...this whole experience made me grow up quicker. It's forced me to. I don't _want_ to die Yang...but if I do, it'll be ok in my eyes...because I died protecting you. We got you back. That's all I ever wanted...and it's all dad and uncle Qrow wanted, too. For them, I won't let you slip away again. For the safety of everybody, I won't let Celeste fall into the hands of Ramone. I'm not saying I alone will do this...but...at the very least, i'll be the one leading the charge. All that matters to me, is that you, and Celeste, are safe."

"I don't care about personal cost either." Blake says "I've got nothing to loose."

"Me too." Weiss says. "Father will eat me alive... but I don't care. I won't back down from something like this. I'm not leaving you, Yang. If my father tries...i might shed royal blood."

"Don't do that, Weiss." Blake says "I...I think there would be a more peaceful solution to that. Especially with the help we'll be getting from Beacon and the government. I'm not going to leave Yang in this time of need either...but I think, if you open your eyes...people will be coming together, and not spreading apart."

"...Thanks, Blake." Weiss says with a smile on her face. Ruby looks at me. "Hey, Yang?" she asks.

"What?..."

"Don't cry, ok?..." she says, putting Crescent Rose in the seat next to her, then hugging me firmly. "Don't cry anymore. You'll make yourself sick."

"Heh...I'm...sorry." I say, sniffling, as I hug her back. "I'm...I'm..."

"It's ok." Ruby says letting go. "I know...I know. I feel similarly."

I sniffle a few more times, then wipe the tears from my eyes. Ruby smiles "You look tired, Yang." she says. "You shouldn't be overworking yourself...especially with burdened with Celeste. Why don't you sleep?"

"Heh...t...thanks...I...think you could use some, too."

"She could!" Weiss said smirking. "She didn't sleep at all last night. As a matter of fact, I saw Ruby drinking coffee to keep herself awake while she went over her notes about your disappearance. Coffee, Yang. Ruby drinking _coffee_ to keep herself awake."

I shake my head. "I thought you said you hated that crap..." Ruby sighs, as she smiles warmly. "What can I say?...I do what I must to make it through for those I love." I smile, resting back into my chair, my eyes closed. Soon I feel Ruby leaning up against me, and she puts her head on my right shoulder. I can feel my own head slowly leaning onto her own...heh, she's already knocked out. I can barely keep conscious, myself. I breath, for once in a very long time, a long, sigh of relief, before drifting off into the first bit of peaceful sleep I've had in months.


	11. 86, Part 7

My memory's been a little foggy, recently. I know there was a lot of commotion when we got back to Vale...i remember some reporters, police, and...guh, it's all blurry. I know now, i'm in a hospital...been here for a few days. The treatment for the poison was pretty easy...just make sure I eat well. Apparently it allows the poison to pass through my system without harm...and I wouldn't exactly say without harm, either, from my own experience...let's just say...my stomach isn't often feeling too good and I visit a certain room quite a bit. Although, that was more at the start of everything. Now, i'm much better...as for the others...i know quite quickly Yang was taken away in an ambulance immediately. I was too. I don't know where Blake went at first...but as for Weiss; her father almost immediately snatched her up and took her away. I haven't heard from her since. I've seen my father and my uncle a few times, too...they were really proud of me for bringing Yang home. A few days after arriving at the hospital...Blake came by to see me. She told me she was actually talking to the higher authorities about everything that's happened...she also let me know that Team JNPR is now aware of the situation, as well...it's nice to know we have their support. As for today...I lie half-asleep on my hospital bed in my room...there's flower vases, balloons, and all kinds of get-well-cards everywhere in my room. I sit up, propping my back against my bed, and look around groggily at all of the colorful décor. Despite how dark of a time I'm in...seeing all of it makes me smile. I hear a few footsteps, which stop at my open hospital room's door. Then, it's followed by a familiar voice, that sighs at first in contentment.

"Well, guess Blake was right when she said you don't need any more cards."

I turn to the doorway, and to my shock, Weiss stands there. "Weiss!" I say, delighted by her presence. She walks in, with a white purse over her right shoulder. I sit up excitedly, smiling at her...because that's all I can really do with her, at least. She stops at my bedside, then tilts her head with a bit of a grin, as she raises her eyebrow. I can infer what she's implying with that motion. I outstretch my arms and we both hug each other for a moment...and to get a hug like this from Weiss is a rare thing. "Glad to see you're still fine." Weiss says. "I was worried sick."

"Well...you know me. Stubborn as heck."

"Of course. Especially against something like this." she lets go of me and reaches into her purse. "Now, I don't care what Blake said, I still got you one...but I also got you these."

She pulls out another card, but on top of that, there's a bag of chocolates. I smile and take her gift. "Thanks." I tell her. "So...what happened to you." Weiss huffs, sitting on my bedside. "Well...as you'd expect, my father snatched me up the second we got back. Despite news reports and everything else calling me a hero...my father was furious i'd do something so 'vile' or 'improper', etc... and all that... then he _really_ cut me off. From his money, from you guys... from everything. He locked me up in my room and refused any contact I could have with just about everybody. I was furious...and then, lo and behold, I got help from my sister."

"Your sister?"

"Yes, my big sister, Winter. She's in the military, and...well, she sees eye-to-eye with me much easier than my father does. She brought me out and helped me get out from under my father. When my father tried to stop her, Winter told him I was a crucial witness and liason to this case about Yang, which was of national importance... 'for classified reasons of the safety of the kingdoms', as she put it, I could not be allowed to be locked up tight by my parents, which hindered me in this investigation."

"Heh, dang...your sister sounds smart."

"She is...she's really nice too. This purse here was something I wanted for a while, and it turns out Winter had gotten it for me because of what i'd done, finding Yang and supporting you the way I have... I almost couldn't accept it."

"Almost?"

"She...guilted me into it, seriously." Weiss states. "Anyway...enough about me. How've you been?"

"Fine, now." I state, smiling. "I overcame that poison, apparently. Dad and my uncle have been around a lot... Team JNPR came by either as individuals or all together a few times too...Blake's been a constant and welcome sight, too. After fighting through the fatigue...the grogginess...the nausea...I'm...happy to be feeling ok. But, to be honest...I worry about Yang. I haven't seen her in a while..."

"She's been having a few tests done on her to see if C-section is a plausibility...and sure enough, it seems like it."

"That's...wonderful!" I say, overjoyed, but tired. "So...it will work?"

"In all theory. Let's keep our hopes up."

"Mm-hm. It's just... I also... miss her."

"I'm not surprised. So you...haven't seen her?"

"No, just been told she's ok."

"That...is strange, but makes sense."

"Why?...How's that?"

"Because she's in the room right down the hall." Weiss says, pointing out the door. That immediately wakes me. "Wait...she...she is?!" I say, springing onto my knees in my bed. Weiss nods "She's...been very authorized-only visitation so far...but it's ok now for you to visit her."

"C...can I? Please?"

Weiss sighs. "Since I know you're gonna tear down the hallway at any moment, I'm gonna let you know once you blitz out the door you need to head left. Then first left, second right, fifth left, she's the fourth door on your left."

I spring onto my feet, but before I run, I turn to her and hug her again "Thanks, Weiss." I tell her, before bolting down the hallways. Weiss gives a relieved sigh and gets up, following after me. I'm flying by everything on my mad dash to Yang. I've remembered everything Weiss told me the split second she said it. First left, second right, fifth left, fourth door on left-

I stop at the open doorway, catching myself on the sides of the doorframe. Sure enough, Yang lays in her own hospital bed. She's got a VERY tired look on her face, as she looks to her left, at Blake, who sits in chair nearby. The two had been apparently talking. I take a brief look around the room...strangely enough, Yang has no get well cards...no balloons...no anything. It's...sort of saddening. Yang then notices me. She slowly lifts her head with a groan, and smiles. "Ughh...Hey, sis." She says in a very tired voice. It sounds as if she's been drugged on something. I smile, slowly walking up to her, then bending down to loosely hug her. "Hey, Yang..." I say, on the verge of tears. I must hug her for a solid twenty or so seconds, holding back tears, and hugging her silently. By now Weiss is in the room as well, having caught up with me. I finally let go of her slowly. "What's up with you?" I ask "Do they have you on something?"

"All kinds of crap..." she says, putting her left hand on her forehead a minute, then holding up her right arm, which has an IV in it. "This crap is...dude...like...don't do drugs."

we all chuckle at that, and I turn to Yang. "So...uh...why are you all drugged up?"

"heh..." she says, shifting her body a bit. "They're...actually prepping me for surgery."

"Oh...that's today?" I ask. Yang nods "Mm-hm...and...they said you can be nearby...just not present for the actual...i mean, do YOU want to see me get cut open?"

"No..." I shudder with a squeak, thinking about it. "but...at least...this will be one step closer to being overcome, right?"

"Yeah...it will."

I look at Yang's swollen stomach, which by now has taken my full attention. "Heh...to be honest, I guess it's better now than late, or...something."

"Heh...doc said granted how fast Celeste is growing...i'm actually overdue...thank god."

"Overdue?" I ask.

"Past her due date." Blake replies. "In all truth...Yang should have given birth sooner or later."

"Well...maybe you're holding on, sis." I say. "Maybe...you want to actually...ya know...try and beat Ramone at this. Well...not try to beat...you know you for sure won't let him win, so maybe your body...is just trying to help with that?"

"Heh...took what I've been feeling straight out of my mouth." Yang said, sighing.

About then, Weiss and Blake walk out of the room to give Yang and I some time alone. I pause a moment, then slowly climb onto Yang's bed, and lay my head on her stomach.

"R...Ruby what are you doing?" She asks me.

"I...I don't know." I said, with a strange bit of fascination. "b...but she's...still my niece, right?"

Yang sighs, a strange smile on her face. "Yeah...she is. She's still my daughter, still your niece...and I still love her. I...desperately want to keep her, strangely enough..."

"I want you to keep her as well...she's the light in all this darkness, isn't she?"

"Mm-hm..." Yang would seem to have tears in the corner of her eyes. "My...poor baby girl...my...poor me."

"Hey, don't worry! I'll be here with you every step of the way! You'll be the best mom ever! I know so! You're my big sister, after all!"

Yang gave an uneasy laugh. "Ha ha...thank you."

I'd pause a moment, then look up at Yang.

"...Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"I...really hate to say this...but..." I could find myself barely able to speak. "I'm...sorry, but...can we...consider something?"

"...what?"

"Well...Yang...you always told me to be prepared, right?"

Yang's face changed. "...yeah...what about it?"

"I think...if the...procedure doesn't work-"

"It _WILL_ work!"

"...well...Yang, please...If...the procedure doesn't work...can I ask you to do something?"

She'd give another nervous sigh. "I...don't know what I could do, but...sure."

"If you can't hold celeste in forever, or the procedure doesn't work...please, stay strong for me and..." I'd sniff, tears rushing to my face, but I held them back. "Please...have Celeste naturally...even if it means you'll die."

Yang's face...was completely terrified. "R...R-Ruby I-"

"I know...i just got you back...but still. I want you so much, I-I-I really do, but..." I couldn't hold it in any longer. "We can't let Ramone win! We'll be the best aunties ever and raise Celeste by ourselves! Everybody will pitch in! We'll all raise Celeste and protect her together! All for you! I...I really don't want to loose you, Yang, but...If...Worst...comes to... _worse..._ "

Yang's head was visibly shaking. Slowly, she looked off to the left, resting her head on her pillow, towards the outside door. After a couple seconds of Yang staring blankly into oblivion, I leaned up, and spoke with concern in my voice.

"Y...Yang?"

She was completely silent.

"Yang?"

"NURSE!" Yang hollered loudly. "NURSE!"

I'm startled by Yang's sudden vocal calling Weiss quickly opens the door with Blake near her, but then a woman storms in. "What?! What's the-"

"Let the...doc and people know i'm ready!" Yang stammers. I immediately jump onto my feet "Wait, Yang?! What are you-"

"Nurse get her out of here! Please! I don't want her here!"

I completely freeze upon hearing Yang say those words. It's as if my entire world slows, and I can't hear anything but those repeating words. I stand there dazed a moment, and I can hear the nurse frantically trying to say something, most likely something about me getting out of the room otherwise she'll call security. Then suddenly I hear Weiss and Blake. Weiss grabs me by my shoulder and starts leading me out of the room, but I can barely walk all of a sudden, let alone stand. Weiss begins to support me down the hallway as Blake follows us, and I can hear them saying something...but then, my legs suddenly give out and I fall forwards, Blake and Weiss catching me before I hit the floor...and as they bring me up, I go limp again, and I slowly slip into unconsciousness...

All I remember next is waking up in my room again. Weiss and Blake are sitting in chairs on either side of me, as I slowly awake. They're relieved

"What was that all about?.." Weiss asked. "You two were so fine then suddenly...what happened?"

"...I...I asked Yang to die..."

They're taken back. "Wait...what?" Weiss responds

"I...I asked Yang to have Celeste normally...because even...though I just got her back...we'd be here to raise Celeste and protect her from Ramone. I asked Yang...if the surgery didn't work, to...die...basically..."

I sigh, tears slowly building up in my eyes again, as I look off. Blake sighs, and stands. "Well...Ruby, you're not the same person I once knew, so..."

I'm shocked. "How could you say that?!" Weiss demands, standing. Blake gives a nervous laugh, looking up to the ceiling for a moment, eyes closed, then opens her eyes and looks back down to me.

"No, I mean...You are, but...Ruby...i knew you loved Yang so much, and I knew if something happened to her you'd give your all to get her back, but...I never expected anything like what you've become. Your persistence, your...your fervor, and...it's inspiring...but what I didn't expect...was you growing up so quickly to...look beyond your sister, if you know what I mean, and...ask Yang to sacrifice herself."

"...I see now...and Blake has a point." Weiss replies. "I mean...Ruby, you're... _very_...much, a different person, but...at the same time, I'm not that surprised. It's you, and I never fully understood you – no offense – but...Ruby, asking somebody to sacrifice themselves is something you _really_ shouldn't do. Especially when you basically _just_ got reunited."

"I...I won't let Ramone win." I say, sitting up. "Ramone...he gave me and Yang so much pain...and he dares...even if Yang ends up...I will make sure Ramone burns in hell for what he's done!" I say, clenching my fists and getting furious. Weiss immediately puts her hand on my right arm. "Hey, easy. We'll help you make him get his due. Just...relax."

"...Yang said she didn't want me." I say after a moment, slumping back down. "She...she didn't want me."

"Ruby, you terrified her with what you said." Blake replies. "She...see it from her angle. She just got reunited with you, she's so hopeful for the operation to get back to a normal life...and there you go basically telling her 'it's ok if you die'. That must have hurt and terrified her, so...that's why she called for the operation."

"I...I still love her though." I said. "I'll always love her."

"We know...we know." Weiss says, she turns, then heads over to some sort of case, and opens it. "Hey...we got ya something."

I turn my head towards the case, and Weiss opens it, pulling out my red hood. Immediately I give a softer smile as she carries it over. "Miss this?" she asks warmly. I carefully take it in my arms. "Uh-huh...thanks."

"The whole uniform's in there." Weiss replies. "The doctor gave you a clean bill of health. You're fine now...and we're ready to help you get back in business."

"Thanks." I say. Then, Weiss turns, and she rummages through the case again...and then I understand what she means. Pulling it out and showing only a glimpse of it, I see Crescent Rose in it's sheathed form.

"W-wha?!" I stammer "How'd you get a weapon into-"

"Shhh!" Weiss says with a smile, her right index finger in front of her face. "Call it my gut intuition, but I think we need to be ready at a moment's notice. You're game for that, right?"

Slowly, I smirk, and sit up. I look at my cape. "...yeah, I definitely am."

I've been nervously waiting for a while now. I'm just outside of the operating ward, sitting on a bench with nervous anticipation, as well as guilt. Crescent Rose hidden under my cape behind me, I silently drum my finger against my cheeks, with my head held down. I still haven't forgotten those words that rang through my head...but...I just hope Yang can soon understand what I meant...I'm too deep in thought to think straight...Am...I really the same person? Have I basically gone mad because of this whole incident with Ramone?...

A sudden scream suddenly brings me to my senses, followed by several more, all coming from the Operating Ward. I spring to my feet, and immediately, I unsheathe Crescent Rose and storm through the doors without a second thought. I tear by fleeing doctors as I hear the alarm triggered. For some odd reason, I feel like this has something to do with Yang. I don't know exactly where she is, but I feel as if something leads me to her...I keep running...I find an operating room, door flung wide open...that feels as if...I charge into the room, Crescent Rose in it's rifle form, and I see one figure standing. Immediately I hold up my weapon...the figure looms over an unconscious Yang, who lies on the operating table, immune and unaware to what's going on...this figure...it's familiar in shape...but colored in black and white...but the hair's the same color. I freeze...and the figure turns, seeing me...instead of being met with a face, I see the mask-like structure of a Grimm...but those aren't eye-holes...they're actual eyes. But what startles me the most...it looks exactly like Pyrrha, if she were a Grimm. It has it's own version of her armor, and her weapons. It stares directly at me, and smirks.

"Ruby Rose." It speaks, in an altered voice similar to Pyrrha's. "She who's being such a close thorn in my master's side...and she who's murdered many, and who will murder so many more."

M...me?! A murderer?! I'm frozen stiff.

"You've never stopped fighting, have you? You're so full of hope, always ready to save people and live a proper life of a huntress...a fairy tail, correct? This is no fairy tail, Ruby. This is the truth: your worst nightmare." It steps forwards "How does it feel to know you've killed so many? That you'll kill so many more?..."

"I...I haven't killed anybody!" I say, holding Crescent Rose up, and pointed dead at her. "You...stay right there!"

"And I'm supposed to listen to the latest reincarnation of the girl who let me down? The girl who let us all down?... Ruby Rose, who _killed me_?"

I take a step back. "I...don't know-"

It laughs malevolently. "Yes you do. I'm Pyrrha Nikos, remember?...how Cinder killed me at the top of Beacon Tower?"

I take another step back. Cinder? Killing Pyrrha? For what reason?! And...strangely enough, reincarnation of?...and...why...does it all sound so familiar?! The Grimm grins. "Eighty-six times you've played this broken record role, Ruby. Every time, people die because of you. People like me. Now...here's what's going to happen."

She takes her spear in it's rifle form, then one-handedly points it directly at Yang. "Killing Yang now will count as birthing the monster. Cradylik, Destroyer of Worlds. Oh so stereotypical is the name...oh so unique the monstrosity within. You're going to back up, and let me out. It's quite simple, Red. Now, who pulls the trigger first?...and what's to say your shot will even effect me? Or if I could still pull the trigger?..."

I'm terrified and angry right now. I slowly, hesitantly, start taking steps back. The Grimm walks out of the operating room slowly, with her front towards me, as she walks backwards down the hall a few feet. She snickers. "Ruby...Weiss brought you that weapon for a reason, didn't she?"

"..."

"To protect yourself, or Yang, right?"

"..."

"I suggest you start using it."

Just then she starts pulling the trigger on her rifle. I quickly turn Crescent Rose into it's full form and start spinning to deflect the shots, before I launch towards her in a rage-induced scream. She leaps back and continues to take shots at me while dodging. Swinging a weapon as big as Crescent Rose in such a hallway is proving to be clunky. The hallway's barely big enough for me to swing it around as she quickly starts striking with her weapon in spear form. I swing at her, but she turns into a black fog that my scythe just phases straight through, and embeds itself in the nearby wall. It's stuck tight. Just as I realize this I take a shield-bash to my gut, which knocks me backwards onto the ground. She's suddenly on top of me, pinning me down with her shield. I see the tip of her spear in my face, and she traces a line from the top of my forehead down, between my eyes, to the tip of my nose. She's grinning evily.

"Hope...it's such a lesser-powered emotion compared to Wrath, and Vengeance...killing you this time is going to make me feel like i'm actually doing my job as a huntress...protecting my world by killing you. You, and your friends...Weiss...Blake...and Yang...all of you are of such extreme guilt. Your sentence is capital punishment...for now...and eternity in pain."

she suddenly changes her weapon into rifle mode, pointed directly between my eyes.

"Sorry, Ruby...I once had a great respect for you. But now, knowing who you truly are?..."

It grins.

"Go fuck yourself, fraud."

There's a sound of a gunshot that echos down the hallway.

And the Grimm flies off me, flipping on the ground with the impact, and standing on it's feet, but holding it's shoulder. I look back the way I came and saw Blake standing with Weiss. Blake's shot has ripped right through the Grimm's shoulder. Before the Grimm can truly react or say anything, Blake's second shot is spot-on, hitting the Grimm right between the eyes, ripping through her mask. The Grimm falls backwards...but catches itself using it's right arm...I can see the hole in it's head healing as it turns and breaks into a run, before turning into that intangible fog again, and phasing through a wall. Blake charges forwards a bit, gun pointed down the hallway, as Weiss begins to help me up.

"Ruby, are you ok?!"

"...Yeah...she didn't hurt me." I say, slowly standing. "That...thing...didn't hurt me."

"...whatever it was, it's gone now." Blake says, returning her weapon to standard form and sheathing it. "Although...was I the only one who noticed-"

"It looked like Pyrrha." I said. "It looked exactly like Pyrrha. It sounded like her too. Fought like her...but so much more evil."

Weiss helps me to my feet slowly. "Is...is Yang ok?"

"F-from what I could see." I say. I tear Crescent Rose from the wall, sheath it, then limp with Blake and Weiss to the doorway of carnage...and Yang lying there spotless in the middle, still unconscious.

"...Yang..." I say. "What've we gotten into?..."


	12. 86, Part 8

The jostling back and fourth of the vehicle I'm in is getting annoying. After the earlier event at the hospital...I'm surprised and grateful the government is still going strong with trying to help us. To prevent an ambush by that Grimm again, they've prepared a setup in a warehouse, where Weiss, Blake and I with the help of JNPR will be standing guard. I'm appreciative our friends are still holding on with us...offering to watch over Yang with us. We can't have that happen again. Pyrrha herself seems extremely disturbed her "Doppleganger"was the one who attacked...she even seems to take it personally. The plan is quite simple...JNPR, Weiss, Blake and I lie in wait nearby, our eyes peeled towards the covered area where Yang once again attempts cesarean section. About an hour goes by smoothly...nothing happens. It's all just prep, though...getting Yang medicated...getting her unconscious again...it's dragging. Norra's just about going sturr-crazy, but she's still meaning well. We're hiding behind and among a few crates nearby. I'm stationed with Crescent Rose in rifle form, my eyes locked on the operating area...my gaze hasn't budged an inch...Pyrrha's to my right, Ren my left...the others are also nearby. "...you sure you're comfortable laying like that, Ruby?" Weiss asks.

"...a Sniper has to be trained to lie in wait in even the most uncomfortable of situations to make sure he's there on time for the shot." I say low, and focused on the task at hand. "I'm fine...even though I can feel my right arm going asleep."

"You should really shift positions, then." Blake says. She's also had her weapon in gun form drawn. "Just in case things do get nasty, you'll want to be able to use that arm."

"...true." I say, shifting positions. I get into a much more comfortable posture, but I feel my right knee bump another knee. "Oh, sorry Pyrrha." I say.

"Ah, It's nothing, really...but i'm a bit crowded."

That's not Pyrrha's voice.

That's the Doppleganger's voice.

Immediately I see her face to my right, and I try to react, as do the others, but the doppleganger Pyrrha puts her arm over my shoulders, and a finger to her lips. "Shhhhhh..." she says low. "They'll hear you, you know."

"Let go of her!" Blake says low, pointing her gun at the Grimm. Everbody else is doing likewise...but Doppelganger-Pyrrha just grins. "Ahhh...sadly no. Also to your dismay, I'm not here to do as I did back at the hospital...I'm also on guard duty."

"How would we believe you?!" I say to her face.

"...Cesarean sections can go wrong." real Pyrrha says. "So...technically she's in the same boat as we are."

"Exactly, my present-representation." the doppelganger replies. "If Celeste dies early, then Cradylik dies with her as well. Master's actually fine with the thought of Cesarean section...and you're right, Cesarean section will avert Yang's penalty of death."

"...We'll deal with you when this is all over." I spit. "Don't think I forgive what you did."

"Oh I know you don't, Ruby. But, to be frank...I'm still here just to watch...because you should be more fearful of _them_ , then me."

" _Them_ "?

She smiles, and closes her eyes. Her right hand shows all five fingers, and begins to count down in seconds.

5...

4...

3...

I can slowly then hear a strange sound...

2...

1...

Just then there's a sound as a door is forced open, and then there's White Fang soldiers storming into the compound, and surrounding the operating area. There's one curtain drawn aside, opening the area up. We're in shock, but our Doppelganger friend isn't. She sighs. "As Ramone predicted. Right on cue... Ms. Fall."

Ms. Fall?...

 _Cinder_?...

Sure enough, we see Cinder walking up to the doctors...and she's not alone. There's Mercury and Emerald there...and Roman Torchwick, with his assistant?! Cinder seems to give a malevolent grin. "I do hope we aren't late. The birth of a child is such a miracle of nature..."

"What're they here for?!" I demand. D-Pyrrha sighs. "Ramone figured that there was a possible leak about Celeste, Yang, and Cradylik...and sure enough we could trace that leak back towards Cinder's faction. I won't bore you with extensive details...but Cinder wishes to either take Cradylik and Celeste's powers for herself...or raise Celeste to be _her_ own child."

"So we _really are_ on the same side in this case." Pyrrha says. I glare at the doppelganger Grimm "...fine. This one time."

"One and only, Ms. Rose. I'm not keen on allying together this time either...but we do what we must to protect our goals."

We finally spring from hiding. There's a lot of soldiers, but we can deal with them...especially with the backup our Doppelganger has brought. A simple snap of her fingers, and materializing out of the fog, a Death Stalker, King Taijitu, Elder Ursai, and five Griffons. Must be her own entourage, or something. Cinder, however, doesn't seem surprised.

"I figured as such..." she says, then looks towards the others "I know some of you hate to dirty your hands, but...deal with them, could you?"

No sooner does she say that I hear bulletfire from the soldiers of the White Fang. I expect to be riddled with bullets, but the Death Stalker jumps in front of us and protects us from the gunfire as the Taijitu attacks, sweeping away a large portion of the soldiers, and giving us an opening to strike. Cinder simply smirks, and I see her turning as she orders one of the doctors to hand her a medical mask and required outfit; as she forces them to draw the curtain and begin the operation. With all this commotion, I can only expect that we'll be getting even more backup soon...but there's so many soldiers, not to mention, the four that accompanied Cinder who now keep us busy. I'm not surprised there's such a fight for that power...but I didnt expect something of this scale. Then again...the power inside Celeste can destroy dimensions throughout existence. But why does Cinder want it? When I talked to her, she seemed so nice, even sympathetic to the fact Yang was gone...wait. W...was it me?...It was me! I was the one who leaked the information about Yang to Cinder! I remember showing her a bit of the information I gathered, about Ramone's strange powers and his nevermore...was that enough to hook her on?! Why does she want this power?!...It doesn't matter, but all I know is I'll kill anybody who threatens to take Yang from me now! I'm fighting the most ferociously I ever have, simply to save my sister. I don't care what it takes. Nobody takes Yang away from me anymore.

I slowly awake...and I can see the lights above me of...the operating setup?...and...I see one of the doctors, with a surgical mask still on, holding Celeste in a blanket within his arms. I...it actually worked! It actually worked! I'm filled with hope as I smile, and and reach out for my daughter...but the doctor gives a familiar, but malevolent chuckle. Wait...those eyes...I know those...! Cinder, she pulls her surgical mask down. "I thank you for following your stupid youthful ways...teens, even adults these days cant really seem to understand what love is...maybe that's because it doesn't really even exist."

"W...what have you done?!" I say, trying to stand, but exhausted from the operation. I can't move much at all. All around me...dead bodies of the surgeons. Cinder chuckles again, holding my daughter in her arms. "To be frank, I'm not too pleased we have a third party in our agendas...and that the third party had the capability of creating power so great. Oh well. If I can't take your gorgeous child's powers...I'll raise her to be my own daughter. After all, you're far too young to be having children...most kids your age seem to be doing it anyway to get a television show, hmm?"

"You...put...her...down!" I try to lunge forwards, but I can feel stitches...the pain stops me dead in my tracks. "take it easy, Yang Xiao Long." Cinder says. "But I must say...there is quite...one interesting baby shower going on outside." It's then I notice...the sound of a very large fight going on outside. I can hear my sister's voice. "R...Ruby?!-" just then, a black, transparent blade comes around my neck...and I can feel Cinder's arm around my back. "Come now...we musn't keep everybody waiting."

I'm forced to move, slowly, onto my feet, then out from the covers with her. All I see are Grimm, White Fang Soldiers...and...my team, and JNPR! I see Ruby herself tearing through everybody in front of her... and she's fighting alongside Grimm?...even Ramone knows the danger of this situation...I look at sleeping Celeste in Cinder's arm a moment, before locking eyes on Ruby again...and she sees me. "YANG!" She screams at the top of her lungs, before blasting my way, only to be intercepted by Roman's assistant. I can see Torchwick, Neo, Emerald and Mercury...the four of them gather around the two of us.

"My my, Blondie." Torchwick taunts. "You really shouldn't live up to your stereotype. That's not the cleanest way to live, you know. But I have to say, your kid there's almost cute."

"Guess you do more than look like a bimbo." Emerald says spitefully. Cinder smirks "Is that how you treat a new mother? Honestly, Emerald. I'm almost ashamed."

"You leave her alone!" Ruby roars. The entire fight has stopped now. Cinder just keeps her smirk

"Well...I don't exactly have a use for her much, anymore..." she says, pressing the blade onto my neck. "She's given me what I wanted...although raising a child without the birth mother there present...can be frustrating...it can be managed."

"DONT. TOUCH HER!"

This time, there's a chuckle from our doppelganger counterpart. She and her fellow Grimm seem to be backing up. "Actually, Cinder. Even if rule-breaking is your thing...you broke a few cardinal rules."

"Oh?"

"One. There's no third party in a game of two, unless invited. Two. You don't go and try to cheat the course of nature".

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Well to be frank..." she points not at Cinder, but Celeste. Celeste stirs in Cinder's arms, then slowly opens her eyes.

They're completely black.

Just as this is noted, the child hisses at Cinder and what I can only describe as a leech of an appendange shoots out a short distance at Cinder's face. She immediately drops the child onto the ground, and it begins to spasm under the blanket. Next I know, there's a sudden blast, and a splatter of blood...Roman's shot the child. MY Child. I just sit their horrified by what i've just seen. I can't even move, I can't even react...but then, I feel an aching pain in my stomach, and I drop to the ground...this pain is immense, whatever it is...and before my own eyes, and everybody else's, my stomach begins to expand back to it's usual state. The doppelganger laughs out loud. "We expected as much from such players of this game. So what's a good plan without a backup? Feel free to try again, Ms. Rose. This was simply a penalty for a third party...if you attempt again without the presence of interruption, you'll find that you will succeed. However..." she chuckles malevolently. "I'm sorry to deliver this order...in part. False Hope...destroy them."

Just then, there's a loud snap of what I can only describe as bones breaking. The blanket begins to writhe...everybody begins backing away as the Doppelganger and her fellow Grimm dissapate into fog. There are more puetred snapping and cracking sounds as suddenly the creature begins to rapidly grow and transforms before our own eyes. It's head begins to morph into it's tail...while the other end begins turning into a strange shape of...a head and mouth. It's completely grotesque, but we're frozen by the sight, as this creature morphs into a hideous 50 ft atrocity. It's front "arms" were once it's legs, and it's hands have bent backwards and turned into almost vestigial limbs. It's "feet" are star-shaped, with five splayed toes forming that star-shape...it's eyes I can best describe as a cross between a squid and a reptile...the head itself vaguely reminds me of a squid...it's mouth opens vertically rather than horizontally...and inside is a mouth of interlocking, razor-sharp teeth. _This_ is the kind of monster Ramone is used to making. It's skin looks exactly human...but on a creature like this it looks...completely disgusting. It paws the ground as it stands now sixty feet away from us. The eyes are tracking all of us...but locking onto Cinder. It growls, then shoots out a whiplike tongue right at her that's quickly cut down by her. It retracts the severed tongue quickly, which begins to regrow in it's mouth. It continues to growl, roar, stamp, and snap at us...but nobody's bothered moving because we're all frozen with fear in what we see. Just then...I notice it hasn't stamped it's right leg at all. That's when there's the sound of...moving earth. A second tongue suddenly shoots up from the ground behind her and wraps itself around Cinder's waist. Suddenly the entire ground splits open, revealing a second tongue coming from...it's right foot. The underside of it's foot is a hideous mouth, with the underside of each toe lined with teeth...but in the center, where the tongue comes from...what I can only describe as a meatgrinder of teeth. Of all people Ruby's the one who tries to rescue her, but it's too late. The retraction is too fast, and the creature stomps down atop her...her upper half sticks out from under the creature's foot, and instantly, she's screaming in pain. There's copious amounts of blood coming from under it's foot, and blood comes from Cinder's mouth as she screams, before suddenly she's pulled under. There's another loud sickening crunch, followed by many more as the pool of blood under it's foot grows. The creature shoots it's main tongue at Ruby, and one from it's left foot springs up behind Weiss. It grabs the both of them, but Ruby quickly cuts herself free, dashing to Weiss and freeing her as well. "GET YANG OUT OF HERE!" I hear Ruby scream as the creature roars. I feel Pyrrha and Norra grab me by my shoulders and start dragging me out. I hear what sounds to be like a objections from Torchwick and the survivors, but just then that abomination roars at the top of it's lungs and charges right at us. I end up passing out from shock just as I see Ruby roar back and slash it's left leg.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ozpin asks me.

"Quit diverting the subject!" I snap at him angrily. "It just grazed me!" There's a bandage around the top of my head from the fight against that...thing. "I'm fine! What about Yang?!"

"...she's fine...but there's nothing else that can be done."

"LIAR!" I roar at him. "I saw her being readied for transport! You're going to take her away to somewhere where she can get operated on safe, right?! The Grimm itself said-"

"A Grimm said that. Even if that Grimm works or serves Ramone, Ruby...you cannot take the word of a Grimm for granted."

"SO WHAT?! WE LET HER DIE?!"

"...Ruby we cannot risk operating again. Yang Xiao Long is being readied for transport to a secure location for isolation."

"Isolation?! Isolation!?" I demand "What's all that about?!"

"Yang will be put into a permanent comatose using the most sophisticated technology. As long as she's in this comatose state, her major bodily functions will still be fine...but she will not be able to give birth. This permanent stasis in isolation, under secure lock and key, as well as vigilant surveillance; will keep us from ever having to worry about Cradylik, or Yang and Celeste's safety."

I'm frozen stiff. "W...what do you...did you tell her that you were doing this to her?!"

"Yes, we did."

"And did she-"

"We laid the options for her. She said she didn't want to risk another operation, and she expressed _clearly_ her opposition to having Celeste naturally. She prefers the option of being put into permanent stasis. Saying herself that at least you'll be able to see her again."

"B...but..." I can't help but cry. "I...I worked so hard!"

"We all did, Ruby. You more than anybody else...but nobody is a god, Ruby. Sometimes we can only do as much as we physically can, and hope for the best."

"But this isn't the best!" I wail. "It isn't! We can still win!"

"This is victory, Ruby. There's nothing else that can be done. Ruby...Yang said she wanted you, as well as Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Schnee to accompany her to her final destination...it's time to say goodbye, Ruby."

"But I don't want to say goodbye!" I say, wailing out on "Goodbye". "You can't do anything?! I can't change her mind or-"

"No, Ruby. You can't. She's made it final, and the transports are being readied now. Your uncle and your father will be staying behind...but Yang wants you to ride with her in her transport. Ruby, they're leaving now."

"Now?!"

"Ruby, either you come, or you don't."

"I...I...G...GRAAAA!" I throw my arms to my side. My sadness has now mixed with anger. "F-fine. I'll come. Oh booooy will I tag along."

Ozpin raises an eyebrow. "...alright then. Allow me to escort you?"

"Sure...wise old owl. Lead the way."

He takes me to a launch pad...there are multiple craft there, ready to depart into the skies as escorts...and he takes me to the one Yang's in. I look through the open doors to see Yang on a bit of a stretcher or table...Weiss and Blake are already in here, sitting on either side of her...Yang smiles upon seeing me. "...hey, sis." she says weakly. "So...you're gonna come along for the ride?..."

I don't answer immediately...but I do answer after a short pause. "Yeah. I'm tagging along."

"That's great-"

"But i'm not riding with you."

"...why's that?" Yang asks me.

"Why's that? WHY'S THAT?!" I say. "Because, Yang, I've got sooooo many bones to pick with you right now, you hear me?! You were one of the people, alongside dad and uncle Qrow who constantly kept telling me to never give up hope, always keep trying, always persevere and keep going strong. Yet you're just ready to throw in the towel because you...you..." I struggle to speak.

"...You're a coward, Yang." I finally speak. "You hear me? You're a coward. A pansy, even. Where's all that courage and determination you constantly taught me to have?! All that wisdom you shared with me, Weiss, and Blake? Swallowed up because apparently you're suddenly a freaking coward! Yang, I do admit, I probably shouldn't have told you immediately to consider the possibility of death. Heck, I think we should have given the operation another go. But noooo, you just want to lock yourself up and away in a place where you'll basically be dead forever. It's practically the same damn thing as visiting my mother's gravestone, you know that?! You're still kept away from me forever! I can't smile with you anymore, can't laugh with you anymore...i don't have a sister anymore with this! This is the most cowardly decision you could possibly make, so i'm going to let you know, while I still love you, I hate the crap out of you right now for being such a damn coward! No, i'm not going to ride with you. I'll be in another transport. Why? Because I want me standing right here, in front of your face, calling you a coward and berating you to be the last thing you ever see of me, you hear that?! You're a COWARD, YANG! A COWARD FOR NOT EVEN BOTHERING TO TRY ANYMORE! YOU'VE GIVEN UP ON ME, OUR FAMILY, CELESTE, ALL OF US! THIS IS THE MOST SELFISH THING I'VE EVER SEEN YOU DO, SIS! THIS, I WILL _NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR_! I HOPE THIS IMAGE RIGHT HERE STAYS WITH YOU AND HAUNTS YOU IN YOUR NIGHTMARES THROUGHOUT YOUR PERMANENT SLEEP, YOU HEAR ME, COWARD?!"

I'm fuming angry and crying at the same time. My face is red from both hyperventilating, and from how much i'm crying and yelling. Yang's face...it's state of shock is like that when I first asked her to consider having Celeste normally...but so much greater. Yang, Blake...everybody's looking at me with such a face. I curl my fingers a moment, which turns into clenching my fists so hard I can see the whites of my knuckles they're so red. I close my eyes, then open them, tears in them. "G...G...Go to hell, sis. I thought I knew you."

I quickly turn on my heels and walk off abruptly. There's a short pause, before I hear Yang calling out my name, telling me to come back. I completely ignore them as I help myself into another transport, and shut the door. It's engine immediately drowns out the sounds of my sister's pleading. I slouch down at my seat as we take off. I can't even think anything kind of my sister right now, I'm so furious. Something in my gut's making me hope to death Yang's bawling her eyes out. Maybe even saying she'll listen...but Yang's stubborn. She won't change her mind like that. I cross my arms and look out the window at Yang's transport. I keep growing angrier and angrier...My sister wants to kill herself, basically, than either try to be with me or keep Ramone from winning. I simply stare out the window at Yang's transport for the whole ride. I hope she's bawling. I hope she's bawling uncontrollably. I really do. I hope she's wailing. It must be about an hour or so later...and I can see below us, an abandoned city...this one isn't Mountain Glenn...i think it's called the "Dead City", from what I recall in my classes...nobody knows how it got there...it just...was there. As I stare out the window of the airship, I just can't help...but continue to be angry at Yang.

Yet...then something catches my eye. In the sky near another airship...I swear I could see movement...and just then, suddenly, one of the air ships is sliced in half. Then another, and another. Then, I see Yang's ship. Something grabs it and destroys it's engines, and it looks like the ship begins...to be dragged by an invisible thing to the ground, slowly. _This_ makes all of my antagonism towards my sister flee. Then I hear somebody shout over the radio something that makes my blood run cold.

 _ **"FIRE!"**_

Next I know, there's a volley of shots from another airship that fly _towards_ the airship Yang is in. Most fly by, except the last one. It makes a direct impact in the ship's side, but it's intercepted by an...invisible thing I see that takes the blast instead of the ship. It's outline, or something like it, I barely see during the explosion...and it lets go of Yang's ship. Yang, Weiss, Blake...all now plummeting out of the sky uncontrollably within that metal prison. Then...i remember something important, which it seems I forgot.

Yang's my _sister_. I can't hate her so much I want nothing to do with her! To make my hatred towards her the last thing she'll ever see?! That makes me...I quickly unsheathe Crescent Rose and leap out of my transport, making a dive straight towards the rapidly descending airship. It tumbles midair as I dive after it. I refuse to let my sister die thinking I hate her. I refuse to let Weiss and Blake think the same! I once again scream at the top of my lungs, words I hope will echo again and again forever in eternity...something my sister will hopefully always remember as a beacon of my love for her.

" _ **I'M COMING, YANG!"**_


	13. 86, Part 9

I can barely move. I look around slowly as my vision begins to clear...I'm on a street in the Dead City. The scattered pieces of the airship lay around me...and I see the bodies of Weiss and Blake...they're not moving. I then notice...I'm not strapped to the bed anymore... and with this, I notice the cuts on my body. Terrified, I remember: I'm pregnant. I look at my stomach...there's blood on it, and I'm terrified...but...she seems ok. I slowly get off my side and into a sitting position, my hand on my stomach, before helping myself to my feet. I'm fearful of my life for Celeste...then a sudden new fear, far greater than anything else I've thought of so far.

 _My water breaks_.

Instinctively there's a sharp pain. This isn't a labor pain...It's more of a stabbing pain coming form all over my body, even on the inside. I groan out painfully as the pain sharply lasts for about five seconds, before lessening to a more managible level. I look around...nobody's alive. I...I killed Blake and Weiss...and if Ruby joined...I try to flee the scene of the crash, dragging away as my own fluid and blood leave a small trail on the ground, as well as my own limping footsteps. I begin to limp down several streets in pain trying to get away...turning a right, then limping several more streets. What am I even trying to do? Run away? I can't run from this. Something just tells me to keep running...but then I freeze. Much further down this same street...I see a pack of Beowolves round the streetcorner. The pack-leader immediately notices me. However, not as prey...but as the bride of it's master, in labor, and needing to be returned to her husband. It roars and it's pack bounds down the street at me. I quickly look around...to my right, a rusted back door for a large skyscraper. I quickly run over to it and try to force the door open. In my desperation I manage to quickly open the door and slam it shut behind me with such force the door jams shut. The Beowolf leader slams into the door just as I do this, and claws at it to try and get to me. I hastily make my way deeper and up into the building...as I ascend endless staircases, I can only feel myself descending deeper and deeper into hell. Eventually, after climbing around twenty-two levels of staircases, I can't go on another flight. I storm into the abandoned passageways of the twenty-second floor, fumbling around in search of something I don't even know what I'm looking for. I continue to fumble until I spy what seems to be some of the building's re-bar, sticking out of the concrete walls. I contemplate thrusting myself onto them to end my pain. Maybe...maybe it will all stop if I do that. Maybe if I kill myself at this last second...or..maybe..

"Yang?"

I hear a voice, and turn...but nobody's there. I look around quickly...am I going insane?

"Yang...please..."

that voice...Ruby?

"Even if it means you'll die...have Celeste naturally."

It's not Ruby's real voice, but rather, my recollection of her. I freeze solid...I...did I really?...was I really a coward?...I was. I am...and now, Ruby hates me for it. Everything my sister loved about me... gone, because I wouldn't step up to the plate. I sniff as a tear rolls down my face...I can't...go on...without Ruby. She's absolutely right... this is all my fault. Being locked away in stasis is practically the same as Ruby visiting her mother's grave...she'd be visiting my own grave. To get into a sibling argument is one thing...but to have your sister quite literally say that she hates you, she wants nothing to do with you, and that she wants that to be the last thing she you ever know of her...I'm sorry, Ruby. I'm so sorry that I failed you as a fellow huntress...and a sister...

...but.

It's not to late to show her I'm not giving up anymore.

I slowly sit down, leaning my back against a pile of debris, my legs spread. I look directly at my stomach...and I feel a sort of sadness coming from it. I'm crying...but it's both a mixture of fear, sadness...and strangely, joy. I rub my stomach softly "I know...I'm sorry...but don't be scared. I know... I'm going to miss you, too. Just know... Ruby's going to take very good care of you. She's going to find you, and take such good care of you...I love you... and make sure knows... I tried, and I still love her in the end."

I've...never done anything like this...but I've got no other alternative than the coward's choice of suicide. I slowly move my hands to the sides of my shorts...It's now, or never.

I hit the ground running, ignorant of the pain from the hard impact. I dash the direction I saw the transport land. That was a terrifying crash...My only hope is that somehow, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, are alive...but...if Celeste...got killed...well...at least, Cradylik would be gone. Why did I even think that?! I mean...ugh! There's too many thoughts racing through my head right now. I...I must be insane. I have to be. With everything I'm thinking that's running through my head...I have to be insane. Ramone's turned me into a devoted monster. Something... that I am no longer, in many ways, proud to have become. I dash onward, finally reaching the crash site...It's terrible. I immediately start calling out. "Yang!? Blake?! Weiss?! Anybody?!" I begin to rapidly search the crash site...nothing. I climb over part of the ship's shell, and then I see something that terrifies me. Weiss and Blake, lying on the ground unresponsive. I run over to Weiss, who's face-down in the asphalt. There's a puddle of blood under her face...h...has she smashed her face in from the impact? I slowly turn her over...her nose is slightly crooked, and there's a few bleeding cuts in her face, but...she's alive! I can feel her breathing in my arms! I start shaking her "Weiss! Weiss! Wake up, come on! Weiss! Weiss! Weiss!"

It takes a moment, but she slowly wakes up. She's very weak, and can't open her eyes at first. "R...Ruby?"

"Weiss! You're alive!"

"B...barely...Where's Blake?"

"Nearby, but it looks like she's unconscious-"

"Put me down, I'm...coming around. Help Blake."

"R-right!" I dash over to Blake, who lies on her left side. I start shaking her, trying to wake her. Weiss slowly rises into a sitting position, and finally opens her eyes. She looks around a few moments...silently. I finally manage to wake Blake, and immediately, she starts coughing violently. She's choking on something! I quickly get behind her and start giving her the Heimlich, which at first doesn't seem to do anything. After a couple extra attempts, she violently spits up blood, as well as a large, sharp piece of metal. Blood gathers around Blake's lips and the inside of her mouth, as she coughs and wheezes frantically. "Hawaph, Rwhuby, hwat fi-" she stammers, unable to speak properly, until finally she completely looses her voice, and begins panicking silently. That sharp piece of metal seems to have cut her vocal cords completely. I'm terrified, and hug her from behind. "It's ok, Blake." I say "You're still alive, it's ok." Blake starts putting up a violent, but silent protest, unable to speak. I hold her tight "It's ok. Please, calm dow-"

"I...can't see." Weiss says, looking around absent-mindedly with a look of fear. "I...I can't see out of my left eye!" she panics, turning towards me. That eye with her scar over it...it itself now has a scar on it, now a cloudy white, much paler than the other eye. I quickly rush over to her, as does Blake. Blake quickly takes off her bow, and we wrap it around Weiss's head to give her a makeshift eyepatch. I quickly help both of them up, and look around. "Where's Yang?!" I demand. "Where'd she go?!"

"I don't know." Weiss says low "I...I don't know..."

Just then there's a scraping metal sound. We turn, and a massive portion of the ship's carcass lifts into the air on it's own accord, before suddenly flying at us. I can't move while stablizing these two, and scream out with Weiss as we cower, bracing for impact...but, it never comes. The giant scrap of metal hovers before us, frozen in the air. It slowly moves off to the left, settling itself down. I then hear a noise...no...a voice.

"R...RuUUubY?"

It's vaguely feminine, and sounds...strangely...remarkably familiar. I look around trying to pinpoint the location...and once again, I can vaguely see a hovering shape...semitransparent. It looks...vaguely human. It floats just a few feet above us...slowly lowering itself to the ground...and then becomes completely visible. A human appearance with a hooded cloak...but another Grimm. Four long tentacles sprout from it's back, and it seems like two other tentacles lie embedded in the tops of it's arms, as if they're sheathed. I see the face of this Grimm...my heart stops. A familiar hairstyle...and...despite the mask...a familiar face. I slowly let go of Weiss and Blake, and leave them standing there alone as I slowly limp forwards towards this new Grimm. "Ruby...Stop! Ruby!" Weiss tells me...but I can't control my legs. I'm not even a foot away from this humanoid Grimm...it slowly raises it's right arm to my face...and softly strokes my cheek, with a strange smile. It struggles to speak for a moment, but then, it's true, human voice breaks through clear as day.

"You've grown...Ruby."

"I...I..."

"Please...forgive me."

"W...what happened?" I say, looking up into the face of the Grimm. "What have...what did you..."

"..."

"Please...answer me...mom."

Mom. I haven't seen her face in forever...but I'd remember it anywhere. My mother, standing before me, mutated into some sort of hideous Grimm. She gives a strange sigh "I...can't."

"Ramone did this to you, didn't he?"

"...I let him do this to me."

"W...what?!" I say angrily "Why?!"

"B...because I was angry, too." she says. "I was angry too...and..."

"and what?!"

"...i was tricked. Ruby...he made me so angry at you. Yet...when...I actually see you now...I can't be mad at you. It's not your fault you don't know what you've done before..."

"What i've...done before?!"

She gives another strange smile. "It's...complicated. I'm not the one to...explain it."

Suddenly my memory comes back to me. "Wait...mom. By that...do you mean...what that Doppelganger of Pyrrha meant when she called me a criminal and a murderer?"

My mother nods slowly "She...both is, and isn't, a true Doppelganger."

"What does that mean?!"

She shakes her head. "I don't know, I don't know..."

"Mom, why did you leave me?!" I demand "Why did you...let Ramone-"

"Reasons change, reasons change..." she says shaking her head more. "Always change, always change."

She's not in her right mind of thinking...or...is she? She smiles, and speaks clearly again "I am Yang's guardian, as created by Ramone...Andromeda. I was to secure Yang before you took her away and protect her myself...but...I completely forgot you." she says smiling. "I...I can't hurt you. I just can't. You're far too precious to me...and you've grown up so well. You make me so proud...and yet..."

"and...yet what?"

"...Ruby." she sighs "Promise me...you'll try harder."

"What do you mean?"

"Just...promise me. Promise me."

"I...I'll try harder, Mom. I promise."

"I...won't be able to control myself next time." she says "Ramone won't let me get a chance of free will. Please...find your sister."

"Wha...what do you-"

"Find Yang, find Yang." she repeats. She's...struggling so hard. I quickly suck up my tears, and shake my head "I...I forgive you for attacking me, mom." I say "Now, earlier...and later. Just please, tell me where Yang is. You know where she is, isn't she?"

My mother nods slowly with an appreciative smile. "Tower. Big tower. That way, then that way" she says pointing one direction, then another. "Twenty-two floor."

"Twenty-second floor?" I ask "Which tower? There are a bunch of them!"

"Grimm want Yang. Grimm want baby. Grimm want Celeste. Grimm can't get into tower."

"So there's Grimm outside of it?"

"Grimm Army." she says "Too dumb, to not think. Use roofs to avoid. Please..."

"Y-yeah." I say "Right."

"Me leave...trouble big, I in. Can't talk right, brain not right, brain going gone..." she struggles. I smile at her "Mom?"

"Ruby? RubyrubyrubyredRuby?"

I chuckle at her "I...I love you, and I miss you, I forgive you and..." I sigh, and stretch out my arms "Can...Can I?"

She stands still a moment, then loosely wraps herself around me, holding me softly. She kisses the top of my forehead. "Miss you...miss you...love you..." she says. "Stop...Ramone. Miss you, watch out, Ramone bad. Make Summer bad. No watch out...make you bad."

"He won't make me bad, mom." I say, holding onto her. "He wont turn me into a monster."

"No...need monster...be bad." she says, slowly letting go. "Go. Find Yang. Go now, hurry hurry fast." she quickly begins to float backwards into the air before turning invisible once more. I turn around...Blake and Weiss have looks of complete shock. "...that was your mother?" Weiss asks me. I nod "Ramone...he's worse of a monster even than a Grimm. If he's figuring out how to turn people into Grimm, then...well, we can't let him win. Look what he did to my mother...and maybe, maybe he did something to bring about that Doppelganger of Pyrrha."

"We can't let him win. Your mother said a tall tower, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just a few blocks down is the tallest tower in the city. My father's company did surveying out here with the military before...Yang might be in there."

"Let's move, then." I say, drawing Crescent Rose from my back. "Are you two strong enough to move?"

"I'll force myself along." Weiss says, determined. Blake nods quickly with a determined smile, unable to speak. We hurry into a nearby building, and climb the stairs to it's rooftop...only twelve stories. The jumps between buildings are terrifying, but with our aura and sheer determination and willpower, we clear the immense gaps. Finally, we see the tower...and all around it, the streets beneath it are black with a sea of Grimm. I see so many different types...Beowolves, Creeps, Ursai... I can't count them they're so numerous. They circle the tower on land and the air, and climb the tower's outer edges...it's like they can't get in somehow. I frantically look around the tower. "How do we get in?!" Weiss says "They're all over it! There's no way we're getting close!"

"Never say never..." I say...and near the twenty-second floor, my eye catches sight of a large air duct...just big enough to squeeze the three of us inside. "That vent, right there!" I say, pointing to it.  
"It's all the way over there though!" she said "Over a sea and sky of Grimm! What do we do?!"

Blake motions for me to come closer. I slowly walk over, and she beckons me closer. I get even closer, and she turns me and Weiss towards her. She opens her mouth, and she speaks. Barely can she utter words, but she speaks low

"I...know some of our team attacks. You're remarkably aerodynamic at times, Ruby...think you could grab Weiss and I and...maybe shoot us over?" That...might work! I mean, I carried Penny one time on my back while using my semblance...maybe I can! I nod "I can try." I say low. "I mean...you two will have to hold on for dear life so I don't let go, but...I can always give it a shot."

"What about the Grimm? They're bound to notice a spinning blur shooting into a building-"

Just then the ground shakes as there's an explosion in the sea of Grimm. We look up and to the right...more airships! They must be our reinforcements! I smile "How about that? That look like a distraction?"

"If...any." Blake says low, but happy. "Alright...you two, up front...I'm going to need a bit of running room." The agree, and walk to the edge of the rooftop. I quickly head to the opposite edge. "Are you ready?" I call out. They nod at me. I pause a moment...in my mind, I think of Yang. I'm a terrible sister for taking out my anger on her in such a way...and it's my duty to make sure I show her spirit i'm sorry by finding Celeste, and protecting her. With a strange, powerful resolve burning within me - it feels like Yang's very soul within, guiding me – I open my eyes and dash towards Weiss and Blake. I catch them in my arms and we leap off the rooftop; turning into a spinning, flying blur of red, white, and black. It's not easy to maintain this, and I quickly shoot straight for that air vent, smashing through it's cover and sending us hurdling down it's metal shoot, banging against it the whole way down, until finally we crash at the bottom of a turn with a loud thud. Blake's pinned under me, Weiss above me, as i'm sandwiched in this tangle of teammates.

"At...least we made it!" I say growling. "You two ok?..."

"Massive cramp in my right shoulder..." Weiss complains, but she's ok. Blake is face-down in the vent, but slowly raises her right hand and does a thumbs-up. I sigh, and wiggle forwards out of our pile, and begin crawling through the vent. Blake and Weiss are right behind me. When we finally get to a dead-end, it's another vent. I lean back onto my arms and start kicking the vent. A few good kicks, and it falls out. I scoot forward and drop about four feet to the ground. Weiss and Blake follow my example.

"This should still be the twenty-second floor, right?" I ask.

"Should be." Weiss says. We take a look around, stationary, before I carefully begin to wander the floor with Weiss and Blake behind me."Yang?" I call out "Yang? Where are you?...Yang?...Yang, I'm sorry. Please, where are you!"

I dont get any response...It's sending a chill down my spine. "Yang!" I say "Yang, please! Even if you can't talk, do something! Please! I'm sorry!..."

I feel on the verge of tears...but then we hear what sounds like a small metal pipe hitting the floor. It comes from our right. I tear down the hallway thinking it to be a sign, coming into a dead-end room...a bunch of rebar stands towards me, as if saying "Come, thrust yourself upon me and end your life". I shudder...there's no way she did such...or...maybe...Weiss and Blake come in as well...there doesnt seem much in this room...I sigh. "...Yang...I'm...sorry." I say. I slump to the floor, onto my knees. It's all just a wild goose chase, isn't it?...she likely killed herself...and...maybe it's all my fault...it _is_ my fault. I start to cry weakly.

"I...I'm sorry, Yang...i killed you."

"Don't say that!" Weiss says putting her hand on my shoulder. "I dont know many people who would go to such an extreme to find their sister...and besides, if anything, your rant before all this to Yang...that wasn't hate. If anything, that just showed her you loved her."

"...why do you say that?"

Blake bends down low next to me and speaks softly in my ear.

"B..because...you only meant the best for her. You love her to the point you wouldn't let her give in. That's a typical emotion...but on your stance, it's so much more."

I wipe the tears from my eyes. "...I...guess. But...my mom said she'd be here. Where's..." I sniff loudly.

"I...I just want a sign that I did the right thing!"

I'm about to completely loose myself crying...but then I hear something...the crying of a baby. My heart stops...c...could it?...I look to my left. In the corner of the room...Yang's scarf. It's bunched up around something. I slowly crawl over in disbelief...and sure enough, the soft crying is coming from a baby girl wrapped lovingly in Yang's scarf, left to rest and wait on the floor. I can't believe it...I slowly reach down, still on my knees, and lift Celeste in my arms, and bring her close. Blake and Weiss kneel on either side of me. Now in my arms, Celeste stops crying entirely, and only begins to make contented mumbles. Yang...she did it. The way Celeste is wrapped...Yang was alive shortly after childbirth, hanging on with enough strength to make sure her daughter would be alright...so I could find her. I begin a crying silently as a tear rolls down my cheek. I give a strange laugh.

"Hi...you." I say to Celeste. "Hi..." I've got a strange smile that both Weiss and Blake now also have. I slowly bring my right hand around to stroke Celeste's cheek, and the infant with her eyes still closed seems to nuzzle my hand. I give another strange laugh...it's like she's relieved to be in my arms. "I...am I the only one who...isn't really sad? You know?" I ask.

"It's...a strange feeling." Weiss says "Like...sorrow, relief...joy, adoration all in one...and...wow. She doesn't even really look like her dad..."

Blake holds the back of Celeste's head tenderly...and Celeste becomes more at ease. I smile warmly at this. "I...I think we've won." I say with a strange gratitude. "At least...we're on our way to a happy ending."

"Let's get her home." Weiss says. By now the sound of the army of Grimm outside has lessened...it sounds safe to go out now. I carefully rise onto my feet, Weiss and Blake with me, and turn around, heading out of the room. I just can't stop looking at Celeste...who cares if there's a monster inside her? She's with us now...and as long as she's with us, that monster cannot grow. Just seeing Celeste fills me with so much hope.


	14. Update for my readers!

Hello everyone!

Yes, im not dead. I'm alive. Just wanted to give you all a heads up on what's been going on.

FIRST OF ALL

I'm currently beginning yet another semester of college. Not also that, but I also have a job, as well as TWO Ark: Survival Evolved mods im working on. For those of you who are reading this on RWBY's Ark, I encourage you to look me up. The mods are called Pyria: Mythos Evolved, and Additional Creatures. I appreciate any feedback on those!

So that's where I stand in life right now, sorry for such the long delays. I've been writing VERY slowly though...it's just, I run several ark servers for my friends now, i've gotten into playing Dark and Light as well...might write a RWBY story based on that, no clue yet. Gonna wait until the game reveals more about itself before I do a selection on that. Also, for those of you who were telling me about Monster Ark: Hunting Evolved...i was actually the mod community manager, so of course I knew about it :P  
Still Garuga123's PR guy. Can attest that he's got good stuff coming VERY soon. He's got a really good crocodile model he's turning into a Deinosuchus that will either be coming out this week or next! MY HYPE IS IMMENSE

Now i've been thinking ahead plenty and plotting out plots for both stories, so, that said.

If You're reading this on RWBY's ARK,  
WASSUP FAM?!  
I honestly didnt expect this story to get this big of a following and this much hype. I appreciate my followers on this work immensely, thank you!  
Been working hard on RWBY's ark. Trust me, the big endgame reveal for ark itself doesnt change anything. I've been working hard to incorporate everything I can to the story correctly. I've tweaked a few things, but nothing drastic has changed. There's been a lot of thought gone into this...so I really mean it when I say that things are only going to get better...and worse...for team RWBY. If you can bare just a little longer with me, I'll be able to do at least one chapter this week. HYPE TRAIN ENGAGE!

For those reading this on Losing Hope  
I know that as of current, as stated in my disclaimer, there isnt any Monster Hunter yet. People have accused me of clickbait and being a lying scam...but trust me. If I jumped RIGHT into the Monster Hunter it wouldnt make any sense. There's a DEEP backstory to the Hope series, and in order to explain the Monster Hunter bit, we need to go to before that happened. Don't worry. There's only about...eh...5-6 chapters before we FINALLY hit Monster Hunter. And trust me, when we do, it'll be there to STAY. Tolerate the lack of MH just a tad longer, and it'll pay off. Trust me. Tiggy will be sad if you leave before he makes his debut. Dont make Tiggy sad. Sad Tiggy is not good Tiggy ;-;  
Going to try and hurry up on this while still keeping a professional writing style and good plot. As of current it just feels like i'm screwing you over...and I agree, I'm sorry. Its just life gets in the way first...and im sorry.  
For those of you who have been patiently waiting for me to get to the MH bit, or are at least still interested in the story due to what's been presented so far, I thank you. In all honesty I take Losing Hope more seriously than I do RWBY's ARK, and I pride myself more in this story too. There has been MUCH more planning gone into this one, and much more heart. I thank you for your interest, and I hope I will not disappoint.

Well, that wraps this up. Going to keep writing, hopefully, i'll be able to push out one chapter for each story this week, and hopefully I can get on a "chapter a week" schedule...can't guarantee anything though, but i'll do what I can.

Peace folks!

-Shad


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